


This Is Grace, The Face of Love

by les8ean



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Baby's First Gay Crush, F/F, Fluff, Love at First Sight, M/M, Panic Attacks, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but it's not, i know the summary makes it sound like m!preg, it's not m!preg i swear, this started out as a joke but now here we are
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:21:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28647462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/les8ean/pseuds/les8ean
Summary: Hermes comes to Charon with a very, very surprising delivery. A child. Their child. A baby girl created by the strange magic of the gods.The two do their best to raise her, but know that she could be rejected by the gods of both Olympus and the Underworld, were she to be discovered.--------this started out as a joke with a friend, but i got. extremely extremely invested. It's really self indulgent.
Relationships: Charon/Hermes (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 34
Kudos: 139





	1. The Love That Started With A Seed

**Author's Note:**

> alright this started out as a joke between me and a friend, but then i got incredibly incredibly invested and now this exists. It's extremely self indulgent.  
> the thought process that led to this being created was  
> "oh haha let's make Hades OCs" -> "this is my OC, Palaestra, the Greek goddess of wrestling, child of Hermes" -> "haha what if Charon is like. her step dad" -> "Huh, apparently Palaestra has no known mother in her mythology" -> "Hey. hey what if. what if Charon was her other parent" -> "it's 3am and I've just written 8 pages of fan fiction on my phone about this"

The River Styx flowed steadily through Tartarus. The ferryman Charon stood vigil at his store, his wares on display for any discerning shades to purchase, in exchange for some coin.  
It had been a quiet day, with very few visitors, not that Charon minded, but the sound of feathers announced the arrival of company. 

"Hey mate!" the wing-footed Hermes descended upon Charon, landing a kiss on his cheek "you got a minute to talk? Something we need to talk about, bit important". Charon's demeanour softened at the god's touch, and he nodded, letting out a plume of purple smoke from his mouth. It was always a good day when his lover visited, and he would always spare the time for him.  
Charon stepped away from his store and onto his boat, and Hermes followed close behind, sitting on what little seating was available with his satchel in his lap. It looked more full than usual, and he was being quite delicate with it. 

Charon steered the boat downstream, and for a time the two stayed in silence, not that the ferryman was one for words, but it was unusual to hear the usually chatty god so quiet. Finally, Charon seemed to decide that were in a secluded enough spot, and he turned to face Hermes.  
_"hhhhhrrrrrraaaaaaaa...?"_ he breathed questioningly. Hermes gave a somewhat nervous laugh, not making eye contact.  
"Well, ah, it's funny you should ask!" he tapped his foot rapidly "I'm sure you're aware of the stories of how some of my siblings were born; Athena coming from dad's forehead, Aphrodite born from seafoam, Dionysus' fetus sewn into dad's thigh, etc etc etc." as the god spoke, Charon sat on the seat beside him. Hermes gave another nervous laugh, face flushing and shoulders tensing "Well, uh, funny thing! I was running my deliveries earlier and something a little odd turned up in my satchel! and uh, well..." he sighed. If he kept trying to talk about it, he'd never get anywhere. "why don't you just take a look".  
Hermes opened his satchel to reveal an infant, soundly asleep, with tanned skin and ghostly white hair, the tips of small purple laurels sprouting out from behind her ears, and tiny pin feathers on her ankles and wrists.  
_"hhhhhrrrrrrrmmmmmm...?"_ Charon was confused.  
"Well, I'm telling *you* because, ah" Hermes trailed off, uncertain of the words to use. How the hell do you tell someone something like this?  
Instead, he picked the infant up out of his satchel and into his arms. Her eyes opened, one a bold orange like the sun, and the other an unearthly purple. Charon's body tensed.  
_"hhaaaarrrraaaahhhhh...?!"_ he looked to Hermes for some explanation, but the god just shrugged and shook his head. He couldn't take his eyes off the child in his arms.  
"Honestly, I've no idea. I've had kids before, but one showing up like this is certainly a first for me!" he chuckled. Then his smile faded, and he looked at Charon. "Listen, Charon, I don't... expect you to just accept something like this, and I'm fine raising her on my own- it wouldn't be the first time." Hermes rested his head on Charon's shoulder "But I thought that you should at least know about her. About..." he hesitated. the words were stuck in his throat. "About our daughter". 

The words hit Charon like a chariot.  
A child. It was something he'd never considered, something he'd never really thought possible. And yet here she was. She was here, and she was alive, and in this moment she felt more real than anything else in the Underworld.  
Charon reached a cautious hand towards her, and she grabbed hold of one of his fingers with surprising strength. She babbled and a familiar purple smoke floated from her mouth. Charon watched the smoke rise into the air, and if he had a heart it would've skipped a beat. 

Hermes stayed silent for a time, waiting for Charon's answer. Would he deny her? Push Hermes away? Want nothing to do with either of them?  
Hermes chewed the inside of his cheek and tapped his foot as he watched Charon stare at the child.  
Finally, too anxious to wait any longer, he spoke.  
"Charon, I-" but before the god could continue, the cold hand of the ferryman was resting on his cheek, and their lips met. The kiss was soft, but long. loving. caring. When they finally broke apart, they rested their foreheads together. Hermes felt breathless, and wisps of purple smoke floated off his lips.  
_"mmmmmmmmrrrrr....."_ Charon pulled Hermes and the child closer, and Hermes felt his breath catch in his throat.  
"So, is that...?" Hermes asked, and Charon nodded, smiling gently at him.  
_"mmmmhhhhmmmmm...."_.  
Hermes smiled, and gently laughed, and felt himself begin to cry. Charon put an arm around him, practically pulling Hermes into his lap, and let out a fog of purple smoke to surround them. The two- no- the three of them, sat in the boat, swaddled together by Charon's oversized cloak. Hermes laughed and cried gratefully into Charon's neck, and the ferryman would be lying if he said he didn't shed a few tears himself. 

"So... what should we call her?" Hermes rested against Charon. The two had sat in silence for some time, and the child had fallen back asleep, occasionally letting out small puffs of purple smoke as she did. Charon gently brushed her cheek with his thumb, and quietly hummed a tune he remembered Nyx singing to the twins when they were young.  
_"hhhmmmmm......"_ he rested his chin atop Hermes' head.  
"What about.... Palaestra?" Hermes offered. "Read it in a book once, thought it was a nice name". As he spoke the name, the child stirred in her sleep, grabbing onto Charon's hand and wrapping her tiny arms around it, holding him close, before drifting back to sleep. Charon smiled, and continued humming the song.  
_"rrrrrrhhhhaaahhhhh..."_. Hermes chuckled.  
"Yeah, i think she likes it  
Palaestra..."


	2. Somewhere In Between Forever And The Passing Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermes leaves on deliveries, and Charon is left to care for the child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the first like. 3 chapters of this in rapid succession. Shout out to my friend Zak for putting up with my mad ramblings kgdktditfkg
> 
> The song Charon "sings" is 'Flood Waters' by Josh Garrels. I do not own it.

Hermes fixed his clothes and put his satchel back over his shoulder. He didn't want to leave. He wished more than anything that he could stay here with them longer. His lover and their daughter. But he had deliveries to make, and the others would get suspicious if he kept them waiting.  
Charon had found a scarf, and tied it around his neck and shoulders so that Palaestra could sleep in it, hidden under his cloak. He wanted to keep her close and... hidden. He wasn't quite sure if he wanted anyone else to know about her, at least, not yet. He and Hermes had agreed they would keep her a secret for now. It was safer that way.  
"I'll be back soon, love. I promise" The god kissed his lover on the cheek.  
_"hhhhhhhrrrr...... aaaaaahhhrraaahhh..."_ Charon pulled him back in for one last kiss, and Hermes laughed.  
"You dork. Ever the romantic, eh?" he smirked. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you can say 'Chelly'!". With that, he sped off back to Olympus. 

Charon steered the boat down the river Lethe, looking for any wayward souls. He continued humming that same song, hoping the rumble of his chest might be of some comfort to the child. His child. It still felt so surreal.  
He pulled his cloak aside to look at her again. She was still asleep, but when her eyes were exposed to the light, her face squished up and she yawned, letting out a stream of purple smoke. Charon couldn't help but laugh, before once again shielding her from the world. 

"Boatman! I say, Ferryman!"  
The voice brought Charon out of his thoughts, and he turned to find who was interrupting. On the shore of the river stood the king Theseus, along with his bovine companion. Charon steered the boat to shore and stopped it.  
_"hhhhhhhhhhrrrrrr....?"_  
"Ferryman! We wish to browse your wares!" Charon had never particularly liked Theseus. He was loud and obnoxious, always shouting and making himself the center of attention. None the less, Charon gestured to what few wares he had on the boat with him. Some darkness crystals, a few pomegranates, some weapons and clothes from the surface. Theseus looked through the wares, commenting loudly on each to Asterius as he did.  
Under his cloak Charon felt Palaestra stir, and a puff of purple smoke came up from his collar. Charon let out his own stream of smoke to cover Palaestra's.  
As he did, his eye was caught by Asterius. He was staring at Charon. Had he seen? no, surely not...  
"I'll purchase a few pomegranates, good ferryman! I believe this payment should suffice?" Theseus held out a handful of coins.  
_"hhhhhhhrrrr....."_ Charon took the coin and handed Theseus the pomegranates.  
"Marvellous! Let us be off Asterius, the Colosseum awaits!" he exclaimed, and walked off with Asterius in tow.  
Charon felt Palaestra stir again, and heard a small whimper from her.  
Before anyone else could hear notice, he quickly pushes the boat from the shore and continues down the river. The whimper grows to a moan that grows to a cry. But not a wail. For one as young as she is, Palaestra stays relatively quiet when she cries. Charon steers the boat to a remote location, before pulling it to a stop. He sits down, and opens his cloak, pulling the infant out into his arms. She looks up at him, crying at the disturbance caused by the king of the colosseum, and clings to his robes with her tiny hands. Trying to pull him closer.  
Charon holds her close, humming the song again.  
_"ssssssshhhhhhhhh........."_ he does his best to soothe her. How had the words for that song gone? *"hhhhmmmm....."* 

Higher than the yonder mountain and deeper than the sea  
From the breadth of the east unto the west  
Is the love that started with a seed  
Stronger than the wildest horses and the rising tide  
The chords of death hung so heavy round our necks  
Will be left at the great divide  
Flood waters rise, but it won't wash away  
Love never dies, it will hold on more fierce than graves  
Farther than the pale moon rises on the open plains  
Past the time and the longest blood line  
There shines an immortal flame  
Somewhere in between forever and the passing days  
There’s a place moth and rust cannot lay waste  
This is grace, the face of love  
Flood waters rise, but it won't wash away  
Love never dies, it will hold on more fierce than grave 

Charon can't sing the words, the gift of true speech something he never received in the traditional sense, but he could put the meaning into his groans and the smoke that ever drifted from his lips. All he could do was hope his daughter would have the gift to understand him. It was something not many had, thought it could be learned with patience.  
As he hummed the tune, Palaestra's cries softened, and soon she was staring up at him with wide, curious eyes. He tilted his head at her curiously, wondering what she might think of some somewhat frightening appearance. Most children were frightened of him. But as he did so, a smile crept onto the infant's face, and she began to babble, letting out puffs of smoke to join her father's in the air around them.  
Charon is taken aback at first, surprised, but then smiles, and continues humming and letting off smoke. 

The two gently drifted down the river, followed by a cloud of smoke, and a gentle hum.


	3. Higher Than The Yonder Mountains, and Deeper Than The Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby's first trip to Olympus.

Hermes held Palaestra up in his hands.  
"Alright you little rugrat" he grins "are you ready for your first trip to Olympus?". Palaestra babbled, a halo of violet haze over her head. "You'll have to keep quiet, alright? Strictly speaking, you don't exist on their records, so I'd be in quite the sticky situation if they were to find out about you" Hermes rested her gently into his satchel, but she tugged at his clothes, making grabby hands at her father, a somewhat distressed look on her face.  
Hermes bit his lip, then lifted her out again, holding her in his arms. He shook his head, smiling at her.  
"Oh _fine_ , but only until we reach Olympus! Once we're there you have to stay in the bag, alright?" he raised an eyebrow at her, but the toddler just giggled.  
Hermes wrapped his scarf around his chest as a sort of baby carrier, and slipped Paelestra into it.  
"Alright Pally, ready for lift-off?" he asks, hopping from foot to foot in preparation for the trip. the child giggles again happily, and the god takes that as an affirmation. 

He's off like a bolt, leaping into the air with ease, legs outstretched and wings finding their place against the wind. He takes care not to go *too* fast, though. She's still young, unused to such exuberance, especially with her long stays with her father in the Underworld. He wouldn't want to overwhelm or upset her.  
But Hermes' worries are quickly pushed aside as he hears the young girl laugh joyously, arms and legs reached out to feel the wind in her own tiny feathers. A grin spreads across his face as soars through the skies. He leaps over mountains, skims along rivers, jumps through clouds. He wants her to see it all, this world she's lucky enough to live in.  
She's luckier than she knows, both a child of the Underworld and a child of Olympus, with access to both worlds. Most, even the gods, are chained to one or the other. 

As Olympus drew closer, Hermes found a place to stop, and pulled Palaestra out of the makeshift carrier, his scarf unwrapping itself from his chest and going back to floating around him.  
"Right, now, i know you don't like it, but you've got to go on the bag for a little bit, alright?" Hermes pushed some of the contents of his satchel around to make space for the girl, and gently placed her inside. "I'll be right here the whole time, alright baby girl?" he gave her hand a small squeeze, and closed the satchel, before speeding off to Olympus. 

Overall the deliveries go well, with Palaestra behaving herself. Hermes delivers some wines to Dionysus, a scroll of war plans from a mortal general to Athena, the usual stack of love letters to Aphrodite, a blood soaked envelope to Ares.  
It's only while making a delivery to Artemis that things took a turn.  
"Hermes? Something in your bag is... smoking."  
Hermes felt the blood drain from his face at the words, and snapped his head to the satchel, where a thin trail of purple smoke was billowing out.  
He did his best to waft it away and gave a nervous laugh to his sister.  
"Ah, nothing to worry about sis! just something I've got to deliver down to the Underworld!" he lied. Well, he supposed it wasn't *technically* a lie. He would be dropping Palaestra off to Charon in the Underworld later. Artemis gave him a discerning look.  
"You know Hermes, i know you're the god of trickery and all, but you really shouldn't lie to family" she said, and Hermes laughed again, a bit too loud this time.  
"Lying? what would I have to lie about, especially to my dear, beloved family?" Artemis raised an eyebrow at him. Hermes felt his heart beating faster, and eyed the nearby window. "Well, really should get going! Deliveries to make, people to see, places to go!" Hermes headed to flit out the window, but Artemis grabbed the end of his scarf and pulled him back.  
"Hermes, whatever it is you're hiding, best you either open up about it, or learn to hide it better, before the others catch on and try to find out for themselves" she warned. It wasn't a threat, just a genuine warning for her brother's safety. Both of them knew how things worked in their dysfunctional little family. Hermes swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. Artemis let go of his scarf, and he sped out the window. 

He didn't stop until he was a good distance from Olympus, and he could hide in the clouds. His heart was still pounding in his chest, and his hands were shaking. Too close. That was too close.  
He pulled Palaestra out of his satchel and rested her on his chest.  
"Daddy Harmy okay?" the toddler asked, a worried knot in her tiny brow. Hermes gave a tired laugh and kissed her forehead.  
"Don't worry darling, daddy's... daddy's fine" He looked into her concerned eyes. They were so much like Charon's. "daddy's just fine. Bit tired is all". Palaestra wrapped her arms around her father's neck, and Hermes held her close.  
What would his family do if they found out about her? About where she'd come from? So many in Olympus looked upon the dwellers of the Underworld with such disdain. Would they see her as a mistake? An abomination? Thoughts and fears ran through Hermes's head faster and faster. 

He was pulled back into reality when he felt Palaestra's tiny hand on his cheek.  
"Daddy, you crying..." she sounded scared. Worried. She grabbed one of his hands and pressed it against her face.  
How long had he been crying for?  
Hermes scrubbed the tears from his face and pulled Palaestra in tight.  
"Sorry Pally..." he wrapped his scarf around his chest again and slipped Palaestra into it "daddy's just got a lot on his mind". He had to keep her safe. There was no telling how the others on Olympus would react to her. He couldn't let them know about her. "Why don't we go see your papa, huh?".  
Palaestra smiled  
"Papa Chara!" she exclaimed gleefully, and Hermes ruffled her hair. She was so small and innocent. If anything were to happen to her...  
He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind, and leapt off towards the gates to the Underworld.  
He would talk with Charon about it once Pally was asleep.


	4. There's a Place Moth and Rust Cannot Lay Waste

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A certain nosey Gorgon hears a strange rumour from some shades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally this chapter didn't have the last few paragraphs, but my brain said "no. make it fluffier. more self indulgent. do it"

Dusa was the first person to find out about Palaestra.  
The gorgon had a nose for gossip. So when she heard the amount of chatter happening between the shades in the House, she knew something was happening.  
At first she didn't believe it. Charon? With a child? Surely it must just be a misunderstanding of some kind. Why would the Ferryman of the dead be keeping the company of a child? And what child would want to stay in the company of someone as terrifying as him?  
But still, more and more shades spoke of the Ferryman and his charge. A small child with white hair who let out the same purple smoke as the Ferryman himself was known for. 

So she decided to find out for herself. She snuck out of the House one day, shortly before Charon would be arriving with the latest load of shades to be processed. Soon enough, the skiff arrived, with the Ferryman standing tall, rowing it to a stop.  
The boat docked at the shore, and the shades departed, heading into the house. Charon stayed in place standing on the boat. Something seemed... off, about his posture.  
"Hi, Mr. Charon!" The gorgon swallowed her nerves and approached. The Ferryman seemed taken aback by her approach, flinching when she spoke.  
_"hhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrraaaaaa....?"_ he turned to her, eyes peering out from beneath the brim of his hat.  
"oh, haha, I- um, I just wanted to talk to you about something- i- if that's okay?" Dusa stumbled over her words. She'd heard Charon was intimidating, but the tension in the air around him was almost more than she could bare.  
_"mmmmmmm......"_ Charon gave a small nod.  
"Well, it's just, um, there's been, uh, a lot of talk among the shades lately!" why was she doing this? this was stupid! she should just turn around and leave, before she makes him angry! "mostly, um, about you! and uh, some- some of the shades mentioned seeing you with.... well, with a child!" Dusa gave an awkward laugh "Ridiculous, right?" She looked to the Ferryman, expecting his usual uncaring stare.  
The smoke had ceased pluming out of his mouth.  
Dusa stared at Charon. His shoulders were tense, and he was staring at the wall behind her. Was that fear in his eyes? Were his hands shaking?  
"M- Mr. Charon?" Dusa tried to call Charon's attention back. He turned to her and exhaled, letting out an enormous cloud of purple smoke he'd been holding in.  
_"...........hrrmm...."_ he gestured to her to come onto his boat.  
"Wha- what? o- oh, no, i- i have far too much work to do-" she started to protest, but Charon banged his oar against the bottom of the boat. Dusa let out a small yelp, and floated onto the boat. oh, there was no way this was going to end well for her. 

Dusa stayed silent for the trip. She'd only been on Charon's boat once before, when she died, but she was certain this wasn't the path he'd taken her down then. Charon steered the boat to a quiet, secluded place. Dusa tried to stay calm. He wouldn't... kill her, right? Could you kill someone that's already dead? She tried to keep her thoughts under control, but as the trip went longer her anxiety got worse and worse.  
Finally, Charon stopped the boat. They were in the middle of nowhere. No one and nothing around. Charon turned back to look at Dusa. He stared at her, silently, and she began to shake.  
Then, he pulled his cloak aside.  
Underneath, clinging to his leg, was a child.  
She couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 years old, with tan skin and a mess of short white hair, and small purple laurels poking out from behind her ears. She peered out from behind Charon, eyes wide and scared, staring at Dusa. One a bright, bold orange, the other a deep, unearthly purple.  
Dusa was at a loss for words.  
"oh... my... Hades..." she whispered. She looked to Charon for some explanation, but he offered none. Dusa opened her mouth to ask more questions, but was interrupted.  
"Chaaaaaaarrooooonnn!" a voice called out from not far away, and soon the winged god Hermes landed on the boat. "There you are, I've been looking everywhere for-" The god started to lean up to kiss Charon, before he noticed Dusa. His face paled considerably. "Ah. you have. company." he mumbled, and took a large step back from his professional associate.  
Seeing the god, the child ran out from behind Charon and over to Hermes, wrapping her arms around his legs, still staring at Dusa.  
Somehow Hermes got even paler.  
_"ah"_

It was... a lot of information for the Gorgon to handle. Once he'd realized they were caught, Hermes had come clean to her, telling her everything.  
"Th- this is... a lot, Lord Hermes" she gave a nervous laugh. Hermes and Charon were sitting next to each other, the child sitting in Charon's lap, still staring at Dusa. Hermes' hands her gripped tight around his chiton, knuckles white.  
"Please, Dusa, you can't tell anyone." it was strange to see a god so desperate and anxious. "About ANY of this. About myself and Charon's relationship, or about Palaestra." Charon rested a hand on Hermes' shoulder. "If anyone were to find out-!". Dusa waved a snake at him.  
"Oh, don't worry Lord Hermes, your secret is safe with me!" she promised. Hermes bit his lip and looked to Charon for some reassurance. Charon reached into his bag of wares and pulled out a handful of coins, holding it out to Dusa. "Huh? Oh! No, no, Mr. Charon it's okay!" she rejected the offer, and Charon put the coins back in the bag, this time pulling out a bottle of nectar and holding it out to her. "No, no, it's okay, you don't need to bribe me!" Dusa shook her head (which, considering she was just a head, was more her shaking her whole body). "I- I get it, you don't want anything to happen to her if anyone finds out. I promise you, I won't tell anyone! Cross my heart and hope to- uh- W- Well, you get the idea". 

Dusa turned out to be a more valuable ally than either of them could have anticipated. Not only did she promise not to tell anyone, she helped them find somewhere out of sight where Palaestra could make a home. Somewhere the child could run around and play, without fear of being seen.  
A chamber in Elysium she'd overheard some shades talk about, a strange constant in the ever changing Underworld, the magic that kept the rest of hell so labyrinthine seemingly exhausted in that area.  
It was a nice change of pace for the child. Her whole life she'd had to stay quiet and close to her fathers, being hidden away from anyone who might hurt her.  
Here, she could run around, play to her hearts content.  
Over time Charon and Hermes furnished it, a home not just for Palaestra, but for them too. A place they could relax and just be... a family. 

"Papa! Daddy!" the child ran across the house to her fathers, where they rested on a lounge they'd recently brought in.  
"Mm...?" Hermes lifted his head sleepily from Charon's shoulder "What is it, my lovely?" He put his arms out for Palaestra, and she jumped into them, climbing into her place on his lap.  
"I drew a picture!" she said proudly, and help up a piece of paper.  
On it was 3 figures. One tall and dark, wearing a wide brimmed hate and surrounded by a cloud of purple. the second was slightly smaller, with a big smile and surrounded by a snaking orange scarf. the third, standing in between the other two and holding their hands, was quite small, with mismatched eyes. "it's us! That's me, and that's Papa Chara, and that's Daddy Harmy!" she explained, pointing at each figure in turn.  
Charon gently took the paper on his hands and looked at it, smiling contently.  
_"hhhhhhaaaaaaahhhhh......"_ he pulled Palaestra into his lap and kissed the top of her head, making the girl giggle.  
"Oh, darling, it's lovely!" Hermes took the paper and held it up "I think this may be the best art I have ever seen!"  
"Really??" the girls eyes widened. Hermes gave a confident nod.  
"undoubtedly! in fact-" Hermes jumped to his feet "-I know just the place for it!" The god disappeared around the corner, and soon reappeared with a frame under his arm. He slipped the drawing into the frame, and then flitted over to the makeshift fireplace, and hung the picture above it. "What do you think?" he turned back to them.  
_"mmmhhhaaahhaaahhaaa...."_ Charon laughed and nodded, and Hermes returned to the lounge, curling up with the other two.  
The three of them fell asleep, curled up together tightly, Palaestra in the arms of her fathers, both of whom had an arm around the other.  
How wonderful it was to have a place they didn't need to be afraid.


	5. The Chords of Death Hung So Heavy Round Our Necks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Underworld is built for people to get lost in, and children have a habit of wandering off. A bad combination for the Ferryman and his daughter.  
> That, combined with Palaestra's god powers beginning to manifest brings lots of trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my longest chapter yet and the one I'd been thinking about for the longest time.  
> It's the final one of what i currently have written, but I'm in the process of writing a 6th chapter and I'll probably write more after this
> 
> also shoutout again to my friend Zak lmao, straight up stole one of his jokes and put it in this chapter

It wasn't uncommon to hear someone crying in the Underworld. Whether it be the mourning of lost life, or family, or missed opportunities or failures. The shades of the Underworld had many reasons to cry. It is the reason the River Lethe exists, to offer them an escape from the memories that cause them so much pain.  
But something about this particular cry caught Sisyphus by surprise.  
It was younger than most, and it wasn't a cry of grief or despair.  
Really he shouldn't, given his unending task, but he liked to check on shades he came across, especially if they're crying. Offer them an ear or a shoulder to cry on, some form of comfort in the uncaring halls of Tartarus.  
And yet nothing in his hundreds of years in the Underworld could've prepared him for what he found when he followed the cry to find its source. 

A child, very much alive, walking the halls of Tartarus, crying her eyes out, searching for something.  
"P- Pa- Papa?? Da-aa-ddyyy?" she wailed, her hands clutching tightly to her clothes. She sobbed, choking up, and tripped on a rock, landing on her face.  
Seeing her fall snapped Sisyphus out of his shock.  
"Oh dear! Are you quite alright little one?" he hurried over to her and kneeled down, helping her up. Her nose was bloodied from the fall. "What's wrong little one, are you lost?" The little girl looked at Sisyphus and whimpered "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you! My name is Sisyphus, what's your name?" he asked.  
"P- Pal'est'a" the little girl rubbed her eyes, still crying.  
"Palesta, that's a lovely name" he gave her a gentle smile. "Are you lost? Did you get separated from your family?" she nodded, bottom lip quivering.  
"I- I can't find m- my P- Papa". Sisyphus took her small hand in his own and gently squeezed it.  
"That must be very scary for you" he nodded "But don't be scared. I have a friend who can help you find him! She should be here in not too long". 

He took the little girl back to his boulder, to sit and wait with her for Megaera. It was the first thing he thought of, to ask the Fury to take the child back to the House of Hades. Someone there would be able to help her, right? How a living child had gotten so deep into the depths of the Underworld was beyond him, but he didn't really care about the how. He just wanted to make sure she got out okay. 

Once she'd calmed down a bit, she was much more active and talkative.  
"So, why're you here with this big rock?" she asked.  
"Ah, you mean Bouldy? Well, it's my job to push him aaaaaallll the way up this big mountain" he pointed up the path.  
"Oh... isn't that hard?" she put a hand on the boulder, considering it.  
"Ha! Well, it certainly isn't easy! He's pretty heavy, just try pushing him!" Sisyphus joked, leaning against the boulder and putting all his weight and strength into pushing it. He may have... over exaggerated the difficulty, acting like it was an impossible task, to make the girl laugh a bit.  
He pulled away and wiped his brow, breathing hard as though he'd just run a marathon.  
The little girl giggled, and then turned to the boulder again. she put her hands against it, puffing her cheeks out as she gathered her strength and pushed at it.  
and it moved.  
only an inch or so, but it still moved.  
Sisyphus was... flabbergasted. She was so small, surely no older than 5, 6 at the oldest, and yet she'd managed to move the boulder. He stared at her, astonished, as she stepped back from the boulder and smiled at Sisyphus.  
"Yeah, he's really heavy!"  
Sisyphus have a weak smile, and eyed the small laurels behind the girls ears. This wasn't any ordinary child. This was a child of the gods. 

"What in the Underworld is going on in here?!" the drawl of the Fury snapped at Sisyphus from the chambers entry, and he turned to face her.  
"Ah, Megaera, good, I need to speak with you"  
"Sisyphus, what in Hades name do you think you're doing?" Megaera narrowed her eyes at him.  
"Just wait here a moment, Palesta" Sisyphus gently patted the girls head, then walked over to the enraged Fury. Once he was close enough, she grabbed him by the front of his chiton and pulled him down to her height.  
"Just what in Hades name is a CHILD doing here?!" she hissed at him.  
"I've no idea" he whispered "I found her crying and lost, saying she'd gotten seperated from her father. I- I think she might be godkin!" he explained. Megaera gave him a disbelieving look.   
"Have you lost your mind?! What would a godchild be doing down here?!" she demanded. Sisyphus turned away from her and back to the girl.  
"Palesta, would you mind giving Bouldy-"  
"... _Bouldy?!_ "  
"- another push?"  
the little girl nodded, and pushed at the boulder again, moving it another couple inches.  
When it moved, Megaera's jaw dropped, and she let go of Sisyphus. She looked at Sisyphus, then back at the girl, then at Sisyphus again. He raised his eyebrows at her, and shrugged.  
"... What is happening right now?!" she asked, mostly to herself.  
"I've no idea, but we can't just leave her down here, right?" Sisyphus asked "Could you take her to the House? Maybe someone there will know what to do?"  
Megaera looked uncertain, then sighed, accepting that there was really no other option.  
She approached the child.  
"Child. What is your name?" she demanded. The little girl looked up at her with wide eyes.  
".... you're really pretty" she mumbled. The Fury felt her face flush.  
"Oh. Um. Thank you, i suppose." She looked to briefly Sisyphus, who shrugged and tried to hide a laugh. "But it doesn't answer my question."  
"I'm Pal'est'a" the little girl said, and smiled "are you Mr. Siphus' friend? are you gonna help me find my Papa?" she gripped the hem of Megaera's dress and looked up at her with pleading, desperate eyes. Megaera sighed, and tugged her dress out of her hands.  
"Something like that. Come along" 

Megaera started walking, but stopped when the little girl reached up to hold her hand. She snatched her hand away from her instinctively, and the little girl cowered back, afraid, and ran to Sisyphus, hiding behind him.  
Megaera pinched the bridge of her nose, and let out a frustrated sigh.  
_Children_  
She walked over to the little girl and kneeled down to her height. The girl hid further behind Sisyphus. Megaera put a hand out to her.  
"I suppose you may... hold... my hand" The Fury strained to force the words out. This was demeaning.  
The girl looked up at Sisyphus, and he nodded at her with a kind smile, and she stepped forward and took Megaera's hand.  
It was going to be a long walk back to the House. 

"Uuuuhhhh... Heya, Meg? What, uuuuhhh... Whatcha got there?" the God of sleep eyed the Fury and her small companion curiously, a slight smirk upon his lips.  
"Shut it" she growled. The little girl stared at Hypnos as Megaera dragged her down the hallway.  
Megaera had been running over what she would say in her head the whole walk here. How would she explain something like this to Lord Hades.  
Worse yet, more and more members of the House were noticing the girl, and coming to see what was going on. Hypnos, Nyx, and Achilles had all come into the hallway and were watching the little girl with confusion and curiosity. 

The god of the dead stared down at Megaera from his desk, eyes boring into her. The Fury felt the young girl's grip on her hand tighten, almost painfully so, and she hid behind Megaera.  
"My eyes must be deceiving me, Megaera," his voice boomed down the halls "Or is that a _child_ with you?" Megaera swallowed the lump in her throat and tried not to break eye contact with Lord Hades.  
"Yes, My Lord, it is. The tormented soul Sisyphus found her wandering Tartarus, crying about being seperated from her father." She held back in telling him she was godkin just yet. No telling how he would react to knowing one of his sibling's children was in his halls. "She's living, and I was uncertain what to do with her. I would have simply taken her back to the surface but..." she hesitated, and bit her lip.  
"Hey, kid" Hypnos floated over to them. the girl looked up at him with wide eyes "Why don'tcha come sit with me while the adults talk about all this boring stuff?" he took her by the hand and led her to the lounge. As he passed Megaera, he nodded in understanding. She'd never been more grateful for Hypnos' ease when it came to children. 

Hypnos brought the girl into the lounge, and sat her down on one of the lounges. Outside in the main hallway, he heard an outraged cry from Hades. Yeah, that sounded about right.  
He eyed the laurels on her head and the feathers on her ankles and wrists, and smirked. Yep, this kid was definitely godkin.  
"So, what's your name kiddo?" he asked, floating on his back.  
"Pal'est'a..." the girl replied distractedly, looking around with wide eyes. In the corner of the lounge sat Cerberus, gnawing on a bone. She stared at him in awe.  
"Cute name! I'm Hypnos" the God of sleep slumped down onto the seat next to her. "Meg' said you'd lost your dad, huh?"  
The girl frowned, and nodded.  
"Yeah... Papa Chara and Daddy Harmy" she mumbled, fiddling with her clothes, bottom lip quivering again. Hypnos tussled her hair.  
"Aaww, don't worry Pally, we'll find 'em! get you home in no time" he smiled at her, and she nodded still picking at a loose thread on her clothes.  
Hypnos didn't want the kid to start crying. By the look of her, she'd already done a lot of it. He looked around the lounge for a distraction. Cerberus had finished his bone and was settling down to slumber. perfect.  
"Hey Pally, c'mere" he picked her up from under her armpits and floated her over to the giant hellhound, placing her on his back. Cerberus' heads turned to look and sniff at her, but otherwise he accepted his fate. "This is Cerberus! Don't worry, he's a big softy" Hypnos patted one of the hellhound's heads.  
After a moment of shock and awe, a smile spread over the little girls face, and she started laughing, hugging Cerberus. The giant hellhound's tail wagged happily, knowing over a nearby table.  
The commotion was enough that no one noticed Dusa slip out the door of the lounge. 

The House of Hades was abuzz, and not in a particularly good way. Hades was furious that Megaera had brought the child of a god here, into his halls. Nyx had calmed him somewhat, but also had many questions for the Fury about the girl.  
Achilles had questions of his own, but young Prince Zagreus had come out to see what was happening, and Achilles had to usher him away.  
Hypnos was good with kids. He felt that he himself was a kid at heart.  
He helped keep her distracted while everyone tried to figure out what to do with her. It had been a few hours, and still they had no ideas. 

The River Styx bubbled at the end of the hallway leading into the House, and a tall, dark figure emerged from it's waters. Nyx turned to address the newcomer.  
"Ah, Charon, we need to speak with-" Nyx started, but her son ignored her, running past her and into the lounge. It was rare to see the ferryman moving this fast, especially in such a panic as he was. The others followed him.  
Charon burst into the lounge, looking left and right.  
_"HHHHHAAAAAAHHHHH?!"_  
"Charon, what is the matter?" Nyx questioned her son, but was interrupted.  
"PAPA CHARA!!!" a cry of joy. The little girl ran across the lounge, tears in her eyes, towards Charon, and he ran to her, arms open to catch her as she leapt to hug him.  
The two embraced tightly, and the girl began to sob. Charon pulled his hat down over his face, to hide the tears he himself was shedding.  
"I- I- I'M S- S- SO- SO-ORRY-Y" She wailed, burying her face into his clothes. "I- I GOT L- L- LO- LOST A- A- A- AND COULDN'T FF- FFF- F- FIND YOU" as the girl cried, purple smoke billowed from her mouth.  
Charon held her close. She was safe. she was alright. she was okay. She wasn't hurt. She was here.  
_"Hhhhhaaaaaaahhhh...... ssssssshhhhhhh"_ Charon stroked her hair and tried to soothe her. He didn't care about the others in the room. He didn't care about them all watching. He needed to make sure she was okay. He needed to take care of his daughter. He blew out a plume of purple smoke to surround them, and hide them from everyone watching.  
_"ssssssshhhhhhhhh......."_

Palaestra had cried herself to sleep in Charon's arms. He couldn't even begin to imagine how scared she must've been. If it was anything like the panic that set into him when he realised she was gone, it must've been terrible.  
Dusa had been the one to tell him where she was. She'd seen Hypnos bring her into the lounge. She knew something wasn't right. Were it not for the Gorgon's help he may never have found her. What would Hermes have said? How would he have even begun to explain that he'd lost her? 

Charon stood in the hallway before Hades' desk, Palaestra asleep in his arms. All eyes were on him. Eyes that demanded answers.  
Nyx was the first one to speak.  
"How old is she?" his mother asked. Hades eyes narrowed, and he banged his first on his desk. Palaestra jolted awake, but Hypnos quickly rested a hand on her head and sent her back into a deep sleep. Charon gave him an appreciative groan.  
"I THINK THE CHILD'S AGE IS THE LEAST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT HER!" Hades roared "I THINK A BETTER QUESTION WOULD BE WHY DOES SHE EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE?!" spittle flew from the enraged god's mouth as he bellowed.  
_"Hhhhhrrrrmmmmmmmm...... Aaaaarrhhhh..."_ Charon groaned. He knew the god of the dead couldn't understand him, and frankly he didn't care if his mother translated for him or not. However angry Hades was, he wasn't going to lay a hand on Palaestra. Charon would make sure of that.  
"I suppose... the children of gods have come about in stranger ways" Nyx put a finger to her chin contemplatively. "After all, I created Charon on my own. I wouldn't doubt that he might have the ability to do the same." she drifted over to Charon and brushed Palaestra's face gently. Nyx smiled at her son "I just wish you'd told me sooner, my child. I would've liked to know i had a granddaughter" she gave a small laugh. "She's beautiful. You did a wonderful job".  
_"mmmmmmrrrrr........"_ Charon nodded at his mother.  
"Wait, does this make me and Than' uncles?" Hypnos interjected "Charon, I- I dunno if I'm ready for that responsibility!". Charon couldn't help but crack a small smile at his younger brother. 

Hades stared on at the family, fury in his eyes, but stayed silent. At the very least, she wasn't the child of one of his siblings. He could somewhat accept her being the daughter of the Ferryman. At least she wasn't an Olympian. 

Hypnos eyed the angry God carefully, floating around his family. He had seen the small feathers on Palaestra's ankles and wrists, but he decided it best that he not bring it up.  
What Hades didn't know wouldn't hurt him


	6. Intermission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up to see this fic at 100 hits was honestly the biggest dopamine hit I've gotten since i was 14, I'm so glad so many people have enjoyed this little self indulgent fic  
> as thanks, here's some discord excerpts from chats with my friend Zak while i was making Palaestra, as well as a few drawings and a picrew of her

I accidentally closed this pic without saving it, and this is the only surviving proof of it's existence. It's an older Palaestra, probably around 18 y/o

In the beginning i was constantly spelling her name wrong

the first design mock up for Pal, using [this picrew by twitter user makowwka. I do not own the art or the picrew](https://picrew.me/image_maker/263035). The text was an idea for her dialogue if Zagreus took a boon from her in-game

According to the original description of Palaestra from Philostratus, she "cares for nothing feminine", which led to the idea of her just. really not liking Aphrodite.

the beginning of the end

it was all downhill from here

for comedic purposes, Palaestra cannot be beaten in a fight

hey look it's the joke i stole lmao

  
_"for the maiden shows by her manly aspect that she would neither marry any man willingly nor bear children."_  
_"The figure of Palaistra, if it be compared with a boy, will be that of a girl; but if it be taken for a girl, it will seem to be a boy. For her hair is too short even to be twisted into a knot; the eye might be that of either sex;"_  
_"And the breasts themselves, as in a boy of tender years, show but slight signs of beginning fullness."_  
A few choice lines from Philostratus' description of Palaestra

part of the inspiration for the ending of chapter 5

further inspiration for chapter 5

I've never actually done the Charon boss fight fghfkhgkfh

Palaestra's canon age in terms of the events of the game. When Zagreus is trying to escape, she's 16

angst! angst! angst! angst! angst!

Comments made while i was writing out chapter 2

:3c

events post chapter 5

Chapter 6 isn't actually about Skelly sorry if you got your hopes up. I'll probably bring him into it at some point.

I want to again thank everyone who took the time to read and enjoyed my bullshit  
All of this fic has been written on my phone's note app, so until i was copy pasting it onto AO3 i had no idea how long it actually was. Seeing that it was 7k+ words was a hell of a surprise

Chapter 6 should be coming within the next few days!

_The place is Arcadia, the most beautiful part of Arcadia and that in which Zeus takes most delight – we call it Olympia – and as yet there is no prize for wrestling nor even any love of wrestling, but there will be. For Palaestra, the daughter of Hermes, who has just come to womanhood in Arcadia, has discovered the art, and the earth seems to rejoice at the discovery, since iron as an instrument of war will be laid aside by men during the truce, and the stadium will seem to them more delightful than armed camps, and with naked bodies they will content with each other. The kinds of wrestling are represented as children. For they leap sportively around Palaestra, bending towards her in one wrestler’s posture after another; and they may be sprung from the earth, for the maiden shows by her manly aspect that she would neither marry any man willingly nor bear children. The kinds of wrestling differ from one another; indeed, the best is the one combined with boxing._

_The figure of Palaestra, if it be compared with a boy, will be that of a girl; but if it be taken for a girl, it will seem to be a boy. For her hair is too short even to be twisted into a knot; the eye might be that of either sex; and the brow indicates disdain for both lovers and wrestlers; for she claims that she is able to resist both the one and the other and that not even in a wrestling bout could anyone touch her breasts, so much does she excel in the art. And the breasts themselves, as in a boy of tender years, show but slight signs of beginning fullness. She cares for nothing feminine; hence she does not even wish to have white arms, and apparently even disapproves of the Dryads because they stay in the shade to keep their skin fair; nay, as one who lives in the vales of Arcadia, she begs Helius for colour, and he brings it to her like a flower and reddens the girl with moderate heat. It shows the skill of the painter, my boy, that the maiden is sitting, for there are most shadows on seated figures, and the seated position is distinctly becoming to her; the branch of olive on her bare bosom is also becoming her. Palaestra apparently delights in this tree, since its oil is useful in wrestling and men find great pleasure in it.._ - **The original description of Palaestra by Philostratus the Elder, from his work _Imagines_ , a collection of short essays describing paintings of mythical scenes in poetic detail**


	7. Flood Waters Rise, But it Won't Wash Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palaestra meets the first of her Olympian relatives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy shit, 200 hits???? thank you all so so so much!!! i really appreciate all the support  
> The only problem i have with continuing this fic is. I'm running out of song lyrics to use the chapter titles. The song I'd been doing this from Isn't Very Long, and at least half of it is just the repeated chorus.  
> I'll have to find another song to somehow insert in so that i can use lyrics from that instead.

Artemis looked at the letter she'd found in her room again.  
_"Meet me at the gates of the Underworld. Come alone. It's important. -Hermes"_  
It was unusual for him to not just tell her something in person, and even more unusual for him to want talk to his family outside of Olympus.  
Still, he was her brother, and she trusted that what he had to say really _was_ important, even if he could be a bit frivolous about things at times. 

She found Hermes outside the gates to the Underworld, impatiently pacing back and forth, wringing his hands. When he noticed her, an anxious smile crossed his face.  
"Ah! Sis! Good! You're here!" he stopped pacing long enough to greet Artemis "Great! Wonderful! Perfect!".  
"Are you alright Hermes?" Artemis cocked her head at her brother. He was acting little a skittish rabbit, all too aware of the wolves hunting it down.  
Hermes gave a sharp nervous laugh at his sister's question.  
"No! Yes! I'm just fine!" Artemis noted the thin line of sweat on his brow "Just, uh, need to tell you about something! Bit important! Bit important". Hermes turned away from his sister and towards the gates of hell. He stared apprehensively at them for a moment, before taking a step. "Follow me". 

Artemis had never been to the Underworld before. She wasn't quite sure what to expect.  
She'd heard stories, of course, about the river of forgetfulness and the vicious hellhound cerberus and the faceless shades milling about. Stories of the unending, labyrinthine halls and the raging Furies who punished those who did misdeeds in life. And of course, stories of the Ferryman Charon. 

Walking through the gates, the first thing Artemis was greeted with was the hellhound.  
He was happily chewing on... something meaty. Artemis tried not to think too hard about what it might actually be that could let off such a stench.  
When they passed the beast, one of his heads raised, reaching out and sniffing at Hermes. Hermes gently patted his nose, and kept walking.  
So much for the vigilant guard of the Underworld. 

Hermes walked down the hallway, towards the Boatman Charon. He stood on his boat, oar in hand, hat pulled down to hide his face.  
Hermes stepped onto the boat and sat down.  
"Oh! Are we... going somewhere?" Artemis asked. She felt uneasy about stepping onto the boat. She glanced at Charon, but he was staring down the river.  
"Yeah, something like that" Hermes muttered. Artemis stared at her brother.  
"Hermes, what's going on?" she still hadn't stepped onto the boat, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. "Are you in some kind of trouble? Has something happened?". Hermes clenched his fists in his lap.  
"Artemis, please, just sit down. I'll explain everything soon. I promise." He ran his fingers back through his hair, and finally looked Artemis in the eye. "Please just trust me".  
Artemis sighed, and sat down next to her brother.  
Once she was seated, Charon slipped his oar into the dark waters and set them off down the river. 

The trip continued in silence through Erebus and down into Elysium. Artemis watched the battling shades as they passed, these once great warriors. She couldn't help but give a small smirk, thinking about what Athena wouldn't give to visit a place like this.  
Hermes had been staring at his feet the entire trip. He looked like he was going to be sick, his face pale and a line of sweat along his brow, fiddling with his scarf anxiously.  
Charon was letting out noticeably less smoke than he usually did, albeit the hunting goddess didn't know this. His posture tense and movements somewhat jagged. 

Finally Charon pulled the skiff to what looked like a dock. There had been nothing else for quite some time, this part of the Underworld seemingly quite unpopulated. The island they pulled onto had a house on it, decent sized what a small front yard, and a balcony on the second level. A variety and things were strewn about in front of the house. Some chalk, children's toys, a few knocked over pot plants, broken planks and bricks.  
Hermes stepped off the boat and offered a hand to Artemis, helping her out and onto the dock.  
Charon followed, tying the boat in place, much to Artemis' surprise.  
"So he's... coming with us?" she asked Hermes. The Ferryman's company wasn't the most comfortable to keep, ever silent and ever watching. Hermes just nodded, and headed towards the house.  
As they approached, Charon seemed to take note of the mess around the house.  
_"Hhhmmmmmmmm....."_. It was the first sound Artemis had heard him make, and it made her skin crawl. Hermes muttered something under his breath in reply, though Artemis couldn't quite make it out.  
When they reached the door, Hermes stopped and faced Artemis. He took a deep breath and steadied himself.  
"Alright, Artemis" he looked her in the eye "You're... about to... learn some things, and I need you to keep an open mind about everything you're about to see, and hear" He ran his fingers back through his hair. "It might be... a lot."  
"Oh, um... alright".  
Hermes turned back to the door, and opened it.  
"Pally!" He called into the house, a smile suddenly on his face "We're home, and we have someone we'd like you to meet!".  
Artemis heard the sound of footsteps running quickly down a staircase and through the house, and soon a young girl sped around the corner. Tiny wings on her feet and ankles flapped with every step.  
"Hi dad! Hi papa!" She run to Hermes and hugged him, then hugged Charon "I missed you!" the girl grinned, showing off her missing front teeth. Charon lifted her up into his arms and kissed her cheek.  
_"Rrrrrrhhhhh.......?"_. The girl nodded.  
"Uhuh! I cleaned it up just like you told me to". Charon smiled at her.  
"Pally," Hermes pulled the girl into his own arms, and brought her over to Artemis "This is your aunty Artemis" The girl looked at Artemis with wide eyes, then gave another big grin, and put a hand out to her.   
"Hi! I'm Palaestra!" she introduced herself, and Artemis shook her hand, somewhat in a state of shock. Hermes put her down, and she hopped from foot to foot, clearly full of energy. "Do you wanna come see my room? I just cleaned it up!" she pointed up the staircase.  
"You can show her in a bit Pally, I need to talk with Artemis first" Hermes ruffled Palaestra's hair, and Charon took her hand.  
_"Mmmmmmrrrraaaaa......."_ he nodded towards the staircase, and Palaestra nodded in turn, running off up the stairs and pulling him after her.  
"Oh yeah, i gotta show you something!" she exclaimed, hurrying back the way she came "Have fun talking to dad aunt Artemis!".  
And just as quickly as she'd run into the room, she'd run out. 

Artemis stared after Palaestra and Charon in silence. A lot had happened in the past 30 seconds. She was trying to process an incredible amount of information.  
Hermes walked past his sister and fell back onto the lounge, head in his hands.  
For what felt like an eternity, neither of them moved or said anything.  
Finally, Artemis went and sat down next to Hermes. He pulled his hands away from his face and looked at her.  
"So"  
"So..."  
More awkward silence.  
"..... You and Charon, huh?" She gave a smirk, and Hermes' face flushed. He leaned back and covered his face again. "I have to say I'm a bit surprised!". Hermes groaned.  
"YES, me and Charon" he sighed pulling his hands down his face. "Me, and Charon, and..." he trailed off.  
"and Palaestra" Artemis finished. "So is she..." Artemis wasn't sure the right words "both of yours? I mean-" she shook her head "How did that even happen?!". Hermes shrugged.  
"Not really sure. One day she just... showed up in my satchel, just like any other delivery would." His eyes drifted to the old drawing over the fireplace "Almost dropped the whole bag in my surprise. Can you imagine? Sitting along with all those letters and deliveries, this tiny baby girl...  
She was so small, and when she opened her eyes... Seeing that she was really mine... ours..." He gave a small laugh, and rubbed his eyes. "And you should've seen Charon's face when i told him! He looked like he was gonna pass out!" Hermes smiled at the memory.  
"How old is she?" Artemis asked "I mean... how long have you kept her a secret?". Hermes chuckled.  
"You remember... maybe, 8 years ago? I was doing a delivery and you pointed out something in my bag was smoking? That was her. Her first trip to Olympus. She was about a year old then".  
Upstairs, they could hear a muffled laugh from Palaestra. 

"Why... didn't you tell anyone sooner?". Hermes look at his sister as though she'd lost her mind.  
"Are you kidding me?! Art', do you have any idea how the others up there would do if they found out about her?!" He leaned forward "She's- She's half Cthonic half Olympian! They have enough contempt for Charon and the others already, You've heard how they all talk about Hades!" Hermes shook his head, putting it in his hands "It was bad enough when the House found out about her..."  
"They already know about her?"  
"Not by choice. Pally got seperated from Charon and they found her. They don't know she's... that I'm her other father. Charon told them that he made her alone. Hades certainly wasn't happy about it though, either way."  
"Well, when is he happy about anything?" Artemis joked, trying to lighten to mood, and Hermes gave a weak laugh. "Hey" she put a hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze "I'm glad you told me. Thank you for trusting me".  
Hermes smiled at his sister. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.  
"Yeah, well, it was either you or Dionysus, and you know how he feels about Charon. Besides, you already kinda knew about her" he laughed.  
"Yes, well, Charon certainly isn't who i would've expected you to go after. But... I'm glad you found someone that made you happy. I'm glad you've made yourself a little family."  
"...Thanks Art'".  
"Although... I do have a question"  
"What is it?"  
"Do you know what she's a goddess of yet? Have her powers started to manifest?"  
Hermes was quiet for a moment.  
He thought about how Palaestra was always play fighting with her toys. How excited she got when Charon took her to the Colosseum for her 8th birthday. How she'd punched through a board of wood when she was 5. How she'd successfully pushed Sisyphus' boulder.  
He turned back to Artemis.  
"Nope, nothing yet"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally gonna be longer, but i kept hitting a wall and not knowing how to continue our keep the scene going.  
> a few ideas i tried to work out included Pally dressing up as Charon, some Pal and Artemis bonding time, and Charon and Hermes just getting a chance to rest and be gay.  
> Might try to work some of those ideas into later chapters
> 
> As recompense, here's an excerpt from the scene where Pally was gonna dress up as Charon, cause it was too cute to just go forgotten.  
>  _Hermes had to choke back a laugh.  
>  Palaestra was standing on the end of her bed, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and Charon's hat on her head.  
> She'd pushed all the furniture in the room to surround her bed, and strewn her toys across the floor.  
> Charon was sitting on the bed with a small toy rabbit in his lap.  
> When Artemis and Hermes walked into the room, Palaestra pulled the hat down over her face, and blew out a cloud of purple smoke.  
> "Hhhhhhrrrrrrrrrraaaaa....." She raised a hand out to the two of them. Hermes pulled a few obol out of his pocket and placed them in her hand, and the girl nodded, putting the coins in her pocket.  
> "Rrrrrrrrrr-" She started blowing out more smoke, but choked on it and started to cough_


	8. The Daughter Of The Fish And The Ram

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palaestra learns some things about her heritage, and why her fathers are so reluctant for her to leave the Underworld

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this wasn't meant to be this long itditdkgfkhf  
> 'Daughter of the Fish and the Ram' is a song by The Scary Jokes. i do not own it
> 
> it also made me cry the first time i listened to it
> 
> OH ALSO MY FRIEND ZAK WROTE FANFIC ABOUT MY FANFIC GO READ IT IT'S SO SO GOOD https://archiveofourown.org/bookmarks/634079817

"Pal'? You alright?"  
Palaestra didn't respond. Artemis sat down next to her.  
They'd gone on a hunting trip together, up on the surface. Charon and Hermes were nervous to let Palaestra out of their sights for so long, especially up on the surface, but Artemis convinced them it would be good for the girl to have some fresh air and a bit of independence.  
For the most part it had been fine. Palaestra was excited to see the surface world. Most of the time she stayed in the Underworld, so it was exciting for her to see everything there was to see. Living creatures, weather, the sun and moon.  
And Artemis had been giving her a bit of training, helping her learn to control her growing powers.  
It hadn't taken Artemis long to figure out Hermes had been lying about Palaestra's godliness not showing yet. The girl was stronger than most trained warriors. 

But in the past day or so, Palaestra had gone quiet. Often just staring off into space.  
"You missing your dads'?" Artemis bumped shoulders with her. Palaestra shook her head. "Well what's wrong? you can talk to me".  
Palaestra was quiet for a moment.  
"Why am I... different?" she finally asked in a quiet voice. She was staring into the fire, brow furrowed. "Is there... something... wrong with me?"  
Artemis stared at Palaestra.  
"Well... what do you mean, different?". Palaestra shrugged.  
"I dunno, i just..." she kicked at some rocks at her feet "Dad and Papa can both fly, but I can't. A- and I don't really... fit in with the others at the House. I'm pretty sure Lord uncle Hades hates me, but i dunno why." She picked up one of the rocks, turning it over in her hands, before throwing it as hard as she could at the nearby lake. It skipped along a good distance. "And before they brought you to come meet me, I... I heard them talking. About Olympus, and how dangerous it would be for me, and how the gods there would think I was..." Palaestra's eyes darkened somewhat, and she blew out a stream of smoke, hunching over. The smoke clouded around her face. "They'd think I was a freak. An abomination. "  
Palaestra looked at Artemis. There were tears in her eyes.  
"What's wrong with me?" 

Artemis stared at Palaestra for a moment. She wasn't quite sure how to answer a question like that, or if she was really the person to be answering them. She put what she hoped was a comforting arm around Palaestra's shoulders. For a time, the only sound was the crackling of the fire and the wind in the leaves. 

Artemis considered her words carefully.  
"There's nothing... _wrong_ with you, you're just... different" she started "you're like nothing that's ever existed." Artemis picked up a stick and started drawing a diagram in the dirt.  
"There's two different kinds of deities. Cthonic, Olympian. Cthonics live in the Underworld, like Nyx, Hades, and Charon. Olympians live up in Olympus, like myself, Zeus, and Hermes.  
And usually these two groups stay seperate, with very little interaction between them, until..." she drew a line connecting Charon and Hermes "Well, until your fathers started working together. It was the first real big connection between those two different worlds. It's rare enough to hear about Cthonic and Olympian gods collaborating or allying, let alone to hear about them having a child together! It's unheard of!" Artemis chuckled "And ah, as for Hades hating, I think he just... kind of hates everyone"  
Palaestra curled in on herself more.  
"So I _am_ a freak". 

Artemis flinched at the words. She hadn't meant to make it sound like that. This was why she hadn't wanted to be the one to tell Palaestra about this. This is the sort of thing her fathers should be explaining to her. Or really, anyone who understood this stuff better than Artemis did.  
Artemis sighed and threw the stick aside.  
"You're not a freak Pal'" she pulled Palaestra into a side hug "You're just... new. And people get scared of new. Especially the gods. We live so long and get so set in our ways, that when things change we can... lash out. We can be afraid of things changing. Especially the older gods, like Zeus and Demeter and Poseidon.  
That's why your fathers kept you hidden away for so long. They were worried about people finding out about you and hurting you."  
Artemis hoped she'd explained it in a way someone as young as Palaestra could understand. It was... a lot to take in. 

Palaestra picked up one of the rocks on the ground and held it in her hand. It was smooth, and cold to the touch. It reminded her of Charon, always so cold and lifeless, but only on the outside. She knew her father better than to make assumptions based just on his appearance, like so many others did.  
She held the rock tight in her hand to try and ground herself. 

Palaestra's silence was beginning to concern Artemis. It had been a few minutes now. Still, the girl deserved all the time she needed to process everything she'd just been told.  
She'd likely have questions, questions Artemis couldn't answer, but she could at least try- 

"I want to see Olympus".  
Artemis blinked.  
"I'm sorry?" she gave Palaestra a look that was much calmer than the screaming in her mind.  
"N- not from the inside! I know I'll... probably never be able to actually go inside, but... I just wanna see it, even from a distance! I just want to know where it is, what it looks like."  
Artemis took a deep breath. Her immediate thought was to say 'No. Hell no. Absolutely not. No way in a million years'. If Hermes and Charon ever found out about it, they'd absolutely kill her. Artemis didn't doubt that the Ferryman of the Dead could find a way to kill a god.  
But still, didn't Palaestra deserve to know at least this much? There was so much she hadn't been told, would just _showing_ her Olympus from a distance be so bad?  
After some consideration, Artemis sighed and stood up. She turned to face Palaestra, hands on her hips.  
"If we're going to see Olympus, we'll have to leave now. And! I'm setting some base rules. Rule 1: You never ever tell your fathers about this. Rule 2: We only look at it from a distance, and do not go anywhere near the inside. Rule 3: If any of the other gods _do_ see us, you run and hide and I'll come find you. Understand?" Palaestra nodded enthusiastically and jumped to her feet. Artemis hooked her bow over her shoulder "Alright. Let's head out." 

Palaestra may not have been able to float or fly likes most of the gods could, the wings on her wrists and ankles too weak, but she had certainly inherited some of her Olympian father's speed.  
Artemis led Palaestra through Greece's forests and fields and mountains, always trying to take the more hidden paths where possible. She didn't want to take any chances.  
After a day of running, they reached the base of Mount Olympus.  
"This is it" Artemis announced.  
Palaestra stared up at the mountain in awe. It was higher than anything she'd ever seen, the peak obscured by the clouds. Palaestra couldn't even begin to imagine what wonders lie beyond them.  
"This is just one of a few mountains that leads to Olympus" Artemis explained "In each region of Greece, the peak of the tallest mountain holds an entry to Olympus. Makes travelling easier". Palaestra didn't respond. She was still staring up at the mountain, enthralled. Artemis let her stare for as long as she needed, in order to be satisfied.  
Or at least, that was the plan.  
A crack of thunder brought things to an end.  
Artemis watched in horror as a bolt of lightning approached them from the mountain top. She spun around to Palaestra.  
"RUN! RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK!" Palaestra fled. The girl had only just disappeared into the trees when the lightning bolt made contact with the earth, shaking the ground and almost knocking Artemis over.  
"Artemis, dear daughter!" The god Zeus stood before Artemis, at least thrice her size, a grin upon his face, his very presence making the air tingle with static electricity. he looked around her and frowned, stroking his beard. "Are you alone? I could've sworn i saw you with someone"  
"Nope! Just me" Artemis shook her head, hoping her smile didn't look too panic stricken. "Well, I had a deer with me, but it fled when it saw you coming" She lied. She prayed her father wouldn't question her on it. Prayed he wouldn't notice the second set of smaller footsteps next to her.  
"Hm" the God looked past Artemis and into the woods, and she felt her heart stop for a brief second, before he shrugged "Ah well, I do tend to be a bit imposing!" Zeus laughed, and Artemis felt the weight on her chest disappear as her father accepted the lie. "Now, I wish to speak with you Artemis dear! Come, back to Olympus!" Before Artemis could refuse or argue, Zeus had put a hand on her shoulder and called his lightning to pull them back to Olympus.  
From the trees, Palaestra watched them disappear. 

Palaestra stayed hidden in the woods for hours, waiting for Artemis, but the goddess never returned.  
She couldn't stop thinking about Lord Zeus. How big and powerful he was. The very air around him was electrifying. She wondered if she'd be that powerful one day. She wondered if one day she'd be able to walk the halls of Olympus herself, without fear.  
But her thoughts were cut short by a ball of light appearing before her, with the image of an arrow blowing from within it. She knew what it was, an Olympian messaging light. Hermes used them to talk with her when he was away on jobs for long periods of time.  
She held a hand out to it.  
"In the name of Hermes, Olympus, I accept this message!"  
The image of Artemis appeared from the light.  
"Palaestra! Good, are you still in the woods? Look, stay where you are alright? I'm not going to be able to leave any time soon, so I've contacted Hermes and told him he needs to come collect you-" panic shot through Palaestra's heart, knowing her father would likely be furious if he knew she'd come to Olympus "-but don't worry, I told him bringing you to Olympus was _my_ idea, so he wouldn't be angry at you. Although, he probably won't be talking to ME for a while... Anyways, just stay where you are, alright? He should be there soon. I'm... I'm sorry Palaestra. I wish this trip could've ended better. I hope you can forgive me".  
With the goddesses final words, the light faded, and Palaestra was left in the dark. 

It didn't take long for Hermes to arrive, and when he did the tension in the air was unbearable. The usually light hearted, chatty god was silent, his face dour. He didn't greet his daughter, or smile, or rush over to check she was okay.  
He stood in front of her. Palaestra couldn't look him in the eye. Hermes sighed.  
"Palaestra..."  
"Let's just go home, okay? You can yell at me there"  
Hermes was conflicted. He wasn't angry at Palaestra, far from it. He was worried about her, scared that the others in Olympus knew about her, scared she was hurt, worried that _she_ was angry at _him_ for not telling her the truth about all this sooner.  
He'd known he'd have to answer her questions about this one day, but he'd hoped it wouldn't be this soon. She was still so young! _too_ young to understand just how dangerous it all was! She was only 10!  
But maybe they should've told her long ago. Palaestra wouldn't even look at him now. She was standing, arms wrapped around herself, head down, a cloud of purple smoke circling her head like a halo.  
"Are we going?" she asked.  
Hermes put a hand on Palaestra's shoulder, and she glanced up at him.  
"Pal' I'm... I'm sorry" Hermes crouched down and pulled her into a hug, arms right around her "We should've told you about all this a long time ago". 

It certainly wasn't what Palaestra had been expecting. A burning feeling began to rise in the back of her throat, and she choked back the need to cry. Hermes pulled her in closer. His arms felt safe and warm.  
"I'm so sorry Pally" Hermes voice cracked.  
"Dad?" Palaestra pulled away. Hermes was crying.  
"I'm so sorry we ever made you feel like a freak darling" He rubbed his face, trying and failing to stop crying. Palaestra felt the burning in her throat return, and tears began to sting at her eyes. "We love you so much, we were just so afraid-" Hermes couldn't finish before Palaestra had pulled him back into the hug, pressing her face against his chest. He felt her shoulders shake as she began to cry too. "Oh Pally..." 

The two had a long talk on the way back to the Underworld. They spoke openly about things that in the past had always felt taboo. Palaestra asked all her questions about her Olympian relatives, and what it meant for her to be half Cthonic. Hermes answered them all. It was the least she deserved.  
When they got home, Charon was practically distraught with worry. As soon as she set foot over the threshold, her fathers arms and a cloud of familiar smoke had enveloped her. He didn't let go of her for what felt like hours.

"Delivery here!" Hermes voice rang out from outside the house.  
Palaestra leaned her head out her bedroom window to see her father floating outside.  
"Dad?" Hermes grinned at her and handed her a parcel.  
"Got a delivery here for ya boss!" he winked at her "All the way from Olympus! Seems Artemis has something she needs you to have!"  
Before Palaestra could ask any questions, Hermes had disappeared again, back to work with his deliveries. She closed the window and looked at the package in her hands.  
It was small, wrapped in a cloth with a ribbon to hold it together. She undid the ribbon and carefully peeled away the cloth. Inside was a book  
_"Poems"_ said the cover, simple and unexplained. No author, no cover embellishments, no sub-title. A piece of paper peeked out from halfway through the book. Palaestra flipped it open.  
_"Pally  
Sorry everything went so wrong on the trip. Your dad seems to have forgiven me though, and said he talked things out with you. Hope you're all right.  
Found this in Apollo's library and thought you'd like this poem.  
Swift Hunting  
Artemis"_  
Palaestra pulled the paper aside and read the poem. 

_The daughter of the fish and the ram  
said "i am who i am  
and what i am is a freak  
of nature" _

_The daughter of the ram and the fish  
always had one secret wish  
that someone would love her  
someday _

_But who could love someone with scales and horns?  
A girl who was cursed since the day she was born  
So she cried and she whined and she hated herself  
she said "maybe if i tried i could be someone else" _

_So the daughter of the fish and the ram  
visited a magical clam  
the oldest and wisest creature  
in the sea _

_She said "magical clam, take pity  
i only want to be pretty"  
and the clam scratched his shell  
and he told her _

_"I will give you this magical pearl  
it'll grant any wish that you have in the world  
but even the magic that i possess  
can never bring you true happiness"  
("you gotta take care of that yourself" said the clam) _

_So the power of the magical pearl  
turned her into a beautiful girl  
and she swam ashore  
and crawled up on dry land _

_But all of the people she met  
said "why is this girl soaking wet"  
and they laughed at her  
and they called her weird _

_Sure she might not have been ugly anymore  
but she was just as lonely as she was before  
So, crying, the girl fled back to the sea  
and she asked the clam "why won't your magic work on me" _

_The clam in his wisdom replied  
"it's the person you are inside  
that's the problem  
my dear" _

_"Sadly, you were doomed from the start  
there's an incurable longing in your heart  
and not even magic  
can fix that" _

_"Cause you miss the ocean when you're on land  
and when you're in the water you miss the sand  
Trust me my darling take this time to roam  
cause no one you meet is gonna make you feel like you're home" _

_So even though she didn't really like it  
she took the clam's advice  
and set out on a journey  
all by herself _

_And all of the wonders she saw  
filled her with humility and awe  
and she felt right at home  
wherever she roamed _

_Her hooves let her climb to the highest peaks  
And her gills let her swim to the bottom of the sea  
And they still called her strange but she didn't really mind  
She was strange, she was strong, she was doing just fine  
She was strange, she was strong, she was doing just fine _

_The daughter of the ram and the fish  
still hasn't gotten her wish  
but not all of us do _

_Maybe someday she'll find  
somebody curious and kind  
to wander with her _

_But 'til then she's okay with just being alone  
Some things you just have to find on your own  
Sorry if my story leaves something to be desired  
My fins are so sore and my hooves are so tired  
My fins are so sore and my hooves are so tired  
My fins are so sore and my hooves are so tired_

Palaestra didn't realise she was crying until she saw her tears hitting the pages. She closed the book and held it close to her chest.  
She _was_ strange  
But she was also strong  
And she would be just fine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artemis: There's never been anyone who's part Cthonic part Olympian before!  
> Hades: *looks at Zagreus*  
> Hades: *sweats*


	9. And She Felt Right At Home Wherever She Roamed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palaestra gets to know a few other residents of the Underworld
> 
> -  
> Just a collection of shorter stories of Pally and some other characters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to everyone who came here for CharMes I'm so sorry, this has just turned into me talking about my OC fdjkghkdfsh

With her fathers' busy schedules, it wasn't uncommon for Palaestra to be left to her own devices. At first, she stayed in the house, or at least on the island, finding things to do to pass the time. Drawing, reading, gardening, playing pretend. But as she grew older, so did her desire to see more of the Underworld.   
She couldn't fly, or float, no matter how hard she tried, but the small wings on her ankles certainly gave her jumps a boost, and with ease she could jump across the width of the rivers, hopping from place to place. That, and her trips on Charon's boat, meant she got to meet many of the Underworld's residents. 

\- 

Patroclus watched the young girl approach, from his seat in this usually so peaceful part of Elysium. He'd only known her a few years, but in that time she'd grown quite a bit. Just thirteen and she was already almost as tall as he was, and quite stocky. Strong enough to, at the very least, hold her own in a fight, if not win with ease.   
"Hello Mr. Patroclus!" Palaestra called from across the river, taking a running start at it before leaping to the other side, her little wings flapping excitedly. Patroclus offered a small wave and watched her land smoothly, her feet skidding on the grass.   
At first, he'd thought the girl somewhat of a nuisance - he preferred the solitude, after all. But her continued visits, her chipper greetings and chatter, came to endear her to him. It… reminded him of someone.  
"Hello, Palaestra" his voice was soft and quiet as ever. Palaestra set herself down beside him. "Come for another story?" Palaestra shook her head.   
"No, I uh, actually wanted to ask you something, if it's alright" she picked at the grass. Patroclus nodded.   
"Ask away".   
Palaestra bit her lip and looked away. It was strange to see her nervous and uncertain like this. In all the time Patroclus had known her, Palaestra had always been a very confident girl.   
"Would you um... Would you be willing to train me? I- I know you don't fight anymore, but like... Would you be willing to give me tips on... I dunno, stance and stuff?" She shrugged. Patroclus gave a small smile. It wasn't a surprising request, given her proclivity for getting into fights, and really it was a request he'd been expecting for some time now. He'd seen the excitement and admiration in her eyes when he told her stories of his battles in life. He’d also made sure, when he did see it, to remind her these were not stories of glory. They were stories of war and death, and mistakes that must be paid for. Still, Palaestra already showed great promise as a fighter, and letting her skills go ignored would be a shame.   
"Well... that all depends on how well you can already fight. Show me your stance." Palaestra's face lit up and she jumped to her feet, fists up in front of her.   
She preferred hand-to-hand combat. She could never quite get used to wielding weapons. Artemis had tried to teach her archery, but she always managed to break the string. And on her own she'd tried with a sword and shield, but she couldn't get the grip right.   
Patroclus stood up, stretching his back for a moment, then walked a circle around Palaestra, stroking his chin.   
"Hmmm..." he pulled a face like a wise old scholar contemplating a scroll, and Palaestra snorted, laughing at him. Patroclus smiled, hands on his hips. "Try moving your left foot back a bit, and lower your arms, you need to be ready to defend yourself, but not block your line of sight..."

-

Palaestra peered out from behind the column, eyes wide. She couldn't believe her luck, wandering into a chamber like this! She felt giddy with excitement. She'd heard the great warrior would train in this area sometimes, but she'd never expected to actually find him!  
Asterius had known the girl was there for some time. At first, he'd assumed she was just another shade come to gawk, but he soon noticed the puffs of purple smoke rising from behind the pillar. Curious. He'd heard stories of the Ferryman's daughter, but he'd never entirely thought them true, until now.   
"I know you're there" he snorted "you can stop hiding". From behind the pillar the girl peered out, then slowly stepped out from behind it. 

She wasn't exactly what he was expecting.   
When he'd heard of the child of the Ferryman, he'd imagined someone small, lithe, dead eyed. A corpse-like girl with dark robes and pale skin.   
Not the starry eyed, athletic, young girl standing before him.   
"I- I’m sorry for intruding sir!" she blurted out, a cloud of purple smoke floating over her head "I- I- I'm just a huge fan! I- I watch you in the colosseum whenever I can!" she was staring up at him as though he were a god. Asterius was somewhat taken aback by how excited she was. He was more used to people showing this sort of enthusiasm for Theseus, not for him.  
"Well… I appreciate your support young one" he gave a polite nod, and her grin somehow got even bigger. "you are the Ferryman's daughter, yes? What is your name?" he held a hand out to her. She stared at it like she'd never seen anything like it before, then excitedly grabbed it, shaking it with unexpected strength and vigor.  
"M- my name is Palaestra, a- and of course I know your name Mr. Asterius sir! I- It’s an honour to meet you in person!" she shook his hand for a bit too long, before finally letting go.  
“Hm. You have a powerful grip” he looked the girl up and down “Are you in training?” Palaestra nodded enthusiastically.  
“Y- yes sir! Although, m- most of my training is, uh, informal” she waved a hand to try and waft away some of her smoke “Which is to say it’s uh, j- just me working out and punching rocks and stuff…” she shrugged. Asterius leaned against his axe.  
“Well it certainly seems to be giving results”   
“Y- you really think so?!”. He nodded. “Th- thank you sir!” she was practically bouncing with excitement. “I- um- I- I’ll let you get back to training and stop bothering you now, but um” her face flushed a bit, and she pulled a scroll and quill out of her pocket and held them out to him “C- Could I please get your autograph?!”

-

Dusa swept away the last of the spiderwebs and dust that had cluttered up around the skirting boards of the lounge. She moved back and wiped her brow.  
“Alright, you can put it down now!”  
Palaestra lifted the weight of the couch off her shoulders and placed it back on the ground. She stared at it for a moment, then nudged it slightly to the left.  
“Thanks again for all your help Pally! Having someone that can move the furniture makes cleaning the House a lot easier!” the gorgon rested on a nearby stool, and Palaestra sat down next to her.   
“It’s no problem! It gives me something to do” she laughed.  
“Well, I can’t just let you off without giving you something in return. Come on, let’s have some nectar!”  
Palaestra enjoyed spending time with Dusa. She was one of the first people to find out about her existence, and she’d been like an aunt to her. When she wasn’t working at the House, she’d sometimes get rides up to Elysium and come visit Palaestra at her home there. She’d bring snacks or the latest gossip from the house, and just spend time with her. She was Palaestra’s first friend.  
“So” the gorgon put one of her snakes down to her glass of nectar and it started sipping at the golden liquid “How’re things going on your end?” the gorgon looked around, and lowered her voice “Anything from your… other relatives yet?” Palaestra choked on her drink. She coughed and looked around the room. Luckily, there was no one else here other than the chef and the broker, neither of whom were paying attention to them, both busy with their own jobs.  
“N- No, nothing yet, other than Artemis. So far, she’s the only connection I have to that world” Palaestra absentmindedly played with her obol necklace “But… I’m gonna ask dad if I can go to meet them all for my birthday in a few months” This time it was Dusa who choked on her drink. “I know, I know, it’s a lot, going from one of them to all of them all in one go!” Palaestra leaned back in her chair and stared at the ceiling. “I just- I really want to know what they’re like, y’know? I hear so much about them, and that one time I actually _saw_ Zeus…” she trails off and runs a hand back through her hair. “Even the air around him felt electric, and I… I wonder if they’re all like that, y’know? I have so many questions about them all…”  
Dusa finished her drink, and floated closer to Palaestra.  
“Well.. If you ARE going to meet them, you’re gonna need some new clothes!” she gestured to Palaestra’s chiton, and the mark of Hades on it “If the Olympians see you wearing _that_ , they’ll probably be a bit suspicious.” Palaestra looked down at her outfit and grimaced, and Dusa put a snake on her shoulder. “Don’t you worry Pally, I’ll help you out! C’mon!” she wrapped a snake around Palaestra’s wrist and pulled her down the hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long!!! Things in life got kinda hectic, and my ADHD brain said We Will Not Focus on this chapter :/  
> but!! i have plans for the next few chapters (including a new character 👀) and I've been working on a ref sheet for Pal so y'all can FINALLY know what she actually looks like!


	10. Crying, The Girl Fled Back To The Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palaestra finally gets to meet some more of her Olympian relatives, but things don't exactly go quite as planned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long!! had trouble focusing on it  
> But!!! thank you all so so SO much for 1k hits!! i never expected this fic to get so many views! I hope you all enjoy it!  
> Some time later tonight, I'll be posting another Intermission, with some more funny discord excerpts, AND a reference pic of Palaestra!  
> Again, thank you all so much for the support!

The gates to Olympus were grand and golden, guarded on either side by imposing statues of the storm god Zeus. Above the clouds, the halls of Olympus stood proud and strong, home to the Gods and Goddesses of Greece, told of only in stories by the mortals far below. A place of glory, and the seat of the gods.

Palaestra felt like she was going to be sick.

She’d never actually thought Hermes would agree to this! She’d expected weeks, maybe months of arguing to get him to even consider allow this. Not to mention, she’d expected Charon to put up more of a fight about it! He was usually the protective one.  
On one hand, yes, she was happy to finally be meeting her Olympian relatives. She’d heard so much about them, myths and legends of their glory and greatness. Stories of the good they’d done for the mortals and the world in general. Though she’d also heard plenty of stories of them doing terrible, terrible things.  
On the other hand, her entire body felt queasy with anxiety at the thought of meeting all these incredibly powerful beings who could potentially want to destroy her for her Cthonic blood. Would they be disgusted by her? Would they know what she was from the moment they saw her? Would she be a disappointment to them? She couldn’t even float, let alone properly control her powers yet!  
Not to mention her outfit. It was hardly like what she usually wore. It was much more… girly. Dusa had picked it out for her, and at the time it had looked fine in the mirror, but now Palaestra wasn’t so sure. She tugged at the dress nervously.  
She looked to Hermes for some form of comfort, but he looked just as anxious as she was, if not worse. Seeing her watching him, he put a hand on her back, and gave a… less-than-confident smile.  
“You ready Pal’?” he asked. Palaestra stared up at the gates again and swallowed the lump in her throat. She nodded.  
“Ready as I’ll ever be” the words were followed by puffs of smoke, which she quickly wafted away. She’d been practicing breathing techniques for a while now, trying to get better control of her smoke. She’d need to be careful about it, unless she wanted to answer some difficult questions.  
“You remember everything? All the answers we came up with?”  
“Yep. Living in Olympia with my mortal mother. The eye is a medical condition. Didn’t visit sooner because you weren’t sure if I was actually a god or not” Palaestra counted off the lies on her fingers “am I forgetting anything?”  
“No, I think that’s everything” Hermes said. He stared up at the gates anxiously “Y’know, y- you can still turn back if you want to Pally. I wouldn’t blame you”. Palaestra considered it for a moment, then shook her head.  
“No, I… I need to do this” She tried to put a determined look on her face, but it came out more as mildly irritated. Hermes patted her on the back.  
“Well… let’s get in there”.  
Palaestra couldn’t believe her eyes. Everywhere she looked things were… perfect. Every tile, every fountain, every flower petal, every door carving. Nothing was out of place. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. There were statues and tapestries and mosaics and paintings depicting different gods, though no two looked the same, and none of the ones of Hermes or Artemis were quite right. She supposed most mortals didn’t get many chances to see what the gods actually looked like.  
Hermes led Palaestra through Olympus, walking just a bit too fast due to the nerves. It was just a visit. He was just bringing her with him on some deliveries. It didn’t have to be a big deal. In and out, nothing serious. He would just introduce her to a few of his siblings, but under no circumstances was he going to introduce her to-  
**“Ah, young Hermes!”**  
Uh oh.  
Hermes spun on his heel, a strained smile on his face.  
“Oh, Hello father!” his wings twitched, and he tried to ignore the bead of sweat running down his forehead “what can I do for you today? Expecting a delivery? Got something you need sent?” Zeus stared down at him. Then, his eyes turned to Palaestra. She shrunk away, trying to hide behind her father, despite her height advantage on him.  
**“And who might this be, hm?”** He raised an eyebrow. Palaestra gave a small, nervous wave. Hermes’ already strained smile faltered for a moment. He put a hand on Palaestra’s shoulder, gripping her just a bit too tight.  
“Father, this is my youngest daughter, Palaestra!” Palaestra swallowed her fear and stepped forward.  
“I- it’s an honor to meet you Lord Zeus sir!” she put a hand out to the god, struggling not to break eye contact. Zeus stared at her a moment, before erupting into booming laughter that almost seemed to shake the floor. He kneeled down and put a single finger to her outstretched hand and shook it. Palaestra felt the static electricity running up her arm and through her hair.  
**”Another member to the family? Marvelous! It is wonderful to meet you, young Palaestra! We must have a feast and introduce you to everyone!”** he declared, standing back up. Palaestra and Hermes looked at each other in horror, and both began to stammer out refusal,  
“Really appreciate the offer-“  
“Would love to stay but-“  
“Just don’t have the time-“  
“Really can’t stay-“  
But Zeus ignored them, heading towards the feasting halls. Palaestra felt the smoke bubbling up in her throat and put a hand over her mouth to try and hold it back. Hermes began to panic-laugh.  
“Father, this really isn’t necessary!” He hurried after Zeus, having to sprint to match pace with his giant steps. Palaestra had to run, barely able to keep up with them.  
**”Nonsense Hermes! She must meet the others! You’ve already kept her from us for…”** Zeus turned back to Palaestra **“How old are you?”**  
“I’m… I’m fourteen… sir!” Palaestra panted. Zeus slapped a hand to his forehead.  
**“Fourteen years! Far too long, Hermes, far too long! No, we will have a grand feast for you my dear!”**

Hermes and Palaestra continued to protest, but to deaf ears. What Zeus wanted, he would get.  
Soon they reached the feasting halls, filled with long golden tables that were already covered with more food than Palaestra had seen in her entire life. As Zeus and Hermes continued down the aisles of the tables, Hermes still trying to convince his father this wasn't necessary, Palaestra slowed her pace, stopping to look at the food, taking in the sights and smells. Just looking at it made her mouth water. Food in the Underworld was sparce, so it wasn’t surprising that Palaestra didn’t recognize most of the foods on the tables.  
“Father, really, this isn’t necessary! We really can’t stay-!” Hermes continued to try arguing with Zeus but was cut off as Zeus threw a bolt of lightning at a large bell hanging at the end of the feasting hall. The bell tolled loudly throughout the halls of Olympus, ringing out to the other gods. Palaestra clasped her hands over her ears, near deafened by the noise. It was louder than anything she’d ever heard.

Hermes gave his father an exasperated look. He let out a defeated sigh and flitted back to Palaestra.  
“Seems we’re going to be spending longer here than I thought” he whispered so only she could hear “I’ll send word to your father, so he won’t be worried. I won’t be long.” He gave her hand a comforting squeeze, and disappeared out a nearby window, pulling a boon message orb out of his satchel. Palaestra felt the anxiety in her chest swell as her father left her here alone. Zeus turned back to them and furrowed his brow at Hermes’ departure.  
**”Now where is your father going?”** he asked **”He’s going to miss all the fun!”**  
“He’s just, uh, sending word to my fa-“ Palaestra bit her tongue “uh- _mother_ that I’ll be back later than expected!” she lied. 

Zeus sat down at his throne and snapped his fingers. A storm cloud swirled around Palaestra’s feet and lifted her off the ground, bringing her over to the throne and placing her on the arm of it. She felt very, very small, sitting next to this giant of a god.  
**”Now tell me granddaughter, where _has _your father been keeping you hidden all these years?”__** _ _Zeus took a sip from a goblet that was bigger than Palaestra was. The liquid inside was a deep purple and reminded her of the colour of Nyx’s darkness crystals. It brought a small amount of comfort, just to be even reminded of home while in a place so foreign.  
“I’ve been living with my mortal mother in Olympia” Palaestra recited one of the many lies she’d memorized over the last week. Zeus let out a laugh.  
_”Ah, Olympia! A fine town! I take it you’ve seen the marvelous temples and statues the mortals there have built to me?”_ he asked. Palaestra felt her heart leap into her throat.  
“Uh, o- of course! It’s amazing!” She laughed along with him nervously. Internally, she cursed at Hermes for not telling her more about Olympia when he suggested that as her fake home.  
Thankfully, before Zeus could ask any more questions, Hermes returned, and he wasn’t alone. Alongside Hermes was an armoured woman. But despite the armor she wore, she carried herself with grace and confidence. The two were chatting about something, but when the woman saw Palaestra she stopped and gave her a warm smile.  
“Ah, you must be Hermes’ little one” She called up to Palaestra from the bottom of the throne “It is Palaestra, yes? I am Athena” Palaestra peered over the edge of the throne at her.  
“I- It’s an honour to meet you Lady Athena!” Palaestra bowed her head to her. Hermes flew above Palaestra and reached down to her. Palaestra grabbed hold of his arms, and he lifted her off the throne, floating her down to the floor. Once on the floor, Palaestra bowed her head again, and put a hand out to Athena. Athena laughed, and gave her a firm handshake.  
“Tell me Palaestra, do you know your domain yet?” Athena asked. Palaestra’s face flushed, and her wings bristled. She shook her head, staring at her feet.  
“N… No ma’am” she mumbled. She sat down at the table, and Hermes floated just above the seat next to her. Palaestra couldn’t help but feel somewhat envious. She’d always wished she could fly or float like all of her relatives seemed capable of doing, but the ability just never came to her.  
“Ah, no need to worry dear. I’m sure you’ll find it soon” Athena sat across from them and offered words of comfort, but they didn’t do much to assuage Palaestra’s insecurities “Some gods are just… late bloomers, so to speak” Palaestra nodded, but continued to stare at the table self-consciously. The fact she was still unsure about her domain as a god was a great source of shame and unease for her. Still, maybe now she was meeting other gods, it would be easier to find?__

__Soon enough, more of the gods arrived. Some were easy to identify; the naked woman with the long pink hair that always seemed to _just_ cover her was likely Aphrodite, and the man with the trident and hair like waves was clearly Poseidon. Others were less obvious, and Palaestra had to wait to be introduced. And then there was Artemis, the one Olympian who had prior knowledge of Palaestra’s existence. When she walked into the room and saw Palaestra, her face paled as though she’d seen a ghost. None the less, she took the seat next on Palaestra’s other side, and Palaestra felt grateful that she wouldn’t have to sit next to a stranger._ _

__Eventually, the Twelve Olympians had all arrived in the hall. Hermes muttered something about being grateful it wasn’t an extended family meeting. Palaestra couldn’t help but agree with him. Even with just twelve of them here she felt overwhelmed. Intimidated. Terrified.  
Once everyone was seated, Zeus stood up.  
**”We come together on this day to welcome a new godling to our esteemed halls!”** he declared, raising a glass in Palaestra’s direction “Palaestra, daughter of Hermes! Stand up and say hello, hm?”  
Palaestra quickly stood up, a bit too fast, her seat getting pushed back with an awful scrape against the floor. Her whole body was tense, and she felt light-headed with anxiety.  
“M- m- my- my name is P- Palaestra, i- it’s n- nice to meet you all!” she gave a quick bow to the room, and sat back down, hunched over and face flushed. She was already making an embarrassment of herself. Under the table, Artemis gave her hand a squeeze.  
“Oh darling, it’s simply wonderful to meet you!” Aphrodite gave Palaestra a doting look “Aren’t you just the sweetest thing? How old are you, dearest?” she asked.  
“I- I’m, uh, 14. I- it’s actually my birthday today” Palaestra gave a nervous laugh. The god of revelry let out a cheer.  
“Well that’s just more reason for a party!” Dionysus gestured to the feast in front of them “It’s your day Pal’, enjoy it to the max!” A few of the other gods nodded in agreement, and the feast began in full as everyone reached for their choice of food._ _

__The evening went surprisingly smoothly, after the few hiccups in the beginning. Some of the gods seemed absolutely taken with Palaestra, asking her question after question about herself. A few of them seemed like they couldn’t care less.  
Despite her nerves and anxiety about the situation, Palaestra soon found she was enjoying herself, finally getting to meet her relatives, and trying all these foods she’d never seen before. Hermes and Artemis, too, seemed to lighten up a bit, chatting with each other and their siblings.  
But one thing was worrying Palaestra. She couldn’t stop feeling that stare boring into her. Ares had been staring at her for some time now, and it made her feel like a rabbit being watched by a pack of bloodthirsty wolves. She wished he’d just say whatever it was he was thinking and get it over with.  
Palaestra turned away from him, not realizing she’d been staring back at him. Ares’ eyes narrowed.  
"What's wrong with her eye?" the god of war asked bluntly. Palaestra's face flushed and she put a hand over her darker eye.  
"I- it's- I- uh- ah-" she stammered, panicking. It was all she could do not to let the smoke in her chest billow out. She’d been holding it in so long it almost hurt.  
"It's a medical condition” Hermes took over for her, putting a hand on her shoulder “Her mother is a mortal" Palaestra's shoulders hunched, and she stared at her plate, unable to look at any of her Olympian relatives, fearful to see how they might be looking at her.  
"Damn Ares, way to embarrass the kid!" Dionysus floated by, lazing in the air with a goblet of wine in one hand "I mean, she's clearly already self-conscious about it, and then you go and point it out like that? not cool, man, just plain rude!" he chided. Ares glared at his brother.  
"Oh shut it" he snapped. Dionysus chuckled, enjoying getting a rise out of Ares. He pulled one of the grapes off of his laurels and flicked it at Ares. The grape hit Ares directly in the center of his forehead and fell onto his plate. Ares looked far from amused.  
"Don't let him get to you Pal'. I for one am happy to welcome you to our dysfunctional little family" Dionysus held his free hand out, and a bottle of ambrosia appeared in it "Here, a welcoming gift. Catch!" he chucked the bottle to her. Palaestra caught it and looked at the golden liquid inside with wide eyes. She’d had nectar once or twice, but this was different. The liquid was thicker, and almost seemed to glow within the bottle.  
“Th- thank you Lord uncle Dionysus sir” she smiled at Dionysus and placed the bottle in her lap. Dionysus snorted and laughed. He floated by and ruffled her hair.  
“Kid, you can drop all the lords and sirs! We’re family, yeah? Just uncle Dion’ is fine! No need for all the pretentious titles”  
“R- right, sorry L- uh, U- Uncle Dion’”  
“So Palaestra, when can we expect you to be moving in with us?” the words knocked the wind out of Palaestra, and she almost choked on the food she’d been eating.  
“I- I’m sorry?” she gave a shocked and somewhat fearful look to Athena.  
“Well now that you’ve been welcomed into Olympus, I assumed you’d be moving into our halls, with all the other godlings” she explained, sipping her drink. Palaestra felt her heartbeat soar. She hadn’t expected this. She hadn’t planned a response for this. And judging by the look on his face, neither had Hermes.  
**”Ah, of course! We’ll have a room built up for you in no time!”** Zeus gave a nod to Hephaestus, who pulled a scroll and quill out of his robes and began scribbling a blueprint.  
“Oh- n- no- no no no- I- I can’t- I appreciate the offer b- but I can’t just- I can’t just leave Ely- O- Olympia! I- I- I have a life there! F- Friends and family! E- Everything I know is there!” Palaestra scrambled for an excuse. She could feel the smoke swelling in her chest again, and her panic rising.  
“But… they’re all mortals darling” Aphrodite gave her a pitying smile “They might be fun to play with, but they don’t last very long” the other gods murmured in general agreement.  
“Indeed, Little Hermes, you’ll be far better off up here with us!” Poseidon agreed. The other gods made more murmurs of agreement, commenting on the facilities and advantages of Olympus. Palaestra wanted to argue but the smoke was in her throat now. She couldn’t even hear what they were saying anymore, her ears were ringing, and her mind was racing._ _

__She ran._ _

__She jumped from her seat and ran out of the room as fast as she could, through the halls, left and right. She didn’t know where she was going, she didn’t know the layout of Olympus, but she had to get away. She ran past other gods, but they were just a blur. She needed somewhere to be alone. She needed to get away from here. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go back to Elysium and Charon and Patroclus and Aunt Dusa and Uncle Hypnos and Grandmother Nyx and Lernie the bone hydra and-  
Palaestra stumbled, just barely saving herself from falling on her face. She looked around for somewhere, anywhere to hide.  
There, a door with the unmistakable wing of Hermes above it.  
She ran into the room and slammed the door shut behind her. As soon as the door was closed, she opened her mouth and smoke billowed out at full force, and with it came the tears.  
She curled up in a corner and let it out. The stress and fear and smoke. Before long, the room was a haze of purple, and she couldn’t even see the door anymore.  
Palaestra pulled a blanket from a nearby bed and wrapped it around herself and over her head, biting into it to muffle her crying. It was too much. Too much too fast. There was a painful tightness in her chest that wouldn’t go away.  
Palaestra heard the sound of the door opening and closing, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want to be here right now. She heard a familiar wing flutter.  
“Pally? You in there sweetheart?”  
Palaestra pulled the blanket tighter around herself.  
“Palaestra’s not here right now” she mumbled. Hermes sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug.  
For a while neither of them said anything. The smoke in the room thinned over time, and Palaestra managed to calm herself down. Finally, she pulled the blanket down from her head.  
“I’m sorry” she muttered “I wasn’t- I-“ her words caught in her throat and she had to stop before she started crying again.  
“It’s ok Pally, it’s not your fault” Hermes kissed the top of her head and squeezed her arm “It was too much too quick, even for me!” he tried to break the tension with a joke, but Palaestra didn’t laugh.  
“Are they mad at me? For running out like that?”  
“Mad?” Hermes gave her a confused look “No, no, they’re worried! You should’ve seen the panic when you ran out. Aphrodite told me to tell you she’s sorry if her comment about mortal lifespans upset you, and Demeter practically ordered me to come find you!” Palaestra groaned and started to pull the blanket back over her head, but Hermes pulled it back down “Hey, hey, hey, don’t you worry about them. Look, let’s get you home, alright? You’ve had quite a night” Hermes helped Palaestra to her feet, blanket still wrapped around her shoulders, and she nodded in agreement. Home sounded good. _ _

__Hermes led Palaestra through Olympus and towards the exit. She never let go of his hand, and she had the blanket around her look a hood again. She didn’t want to be seen right now. The gates of Olympus were in sight, they were almost out, they were almost-  
“Lord Hermes, a word before you leave?” a cold chill went through the air, and Palaestra pulled the blanket tighter around her. Both out as protection against the cold, and against her anxieties.  
Hermes turned around and smiled up at the imposing figure out Demeter.  
“Of course Lady Demeter! What can I do for you?” he asked. His wings shivered against the cold, and he tried not to flinch at the layer of frost covering everything around them, _including_ them.  
“I would have a word with you in private, if you have a moment” Demeter’s eye flicked from Hermes to Palaestra, and back to Hermes.  
“Well, just a moment! Got places to be, deliveries to make, you know the old grind! Plus, I’ve got to get this little one back home!” he lightly punched Palaestra’s arm, in yet another forced attempt at normalcy “you can wait for a moment, right Pally?”  
Palaestra sighed and nodded. She just wanted to go home, was that so much to ask?  
“I’ll wait outside” she nodded her head towards the gates and headed out.  
Demeter lead Hermes down the hallway to a balcony, where they could speak alone. For a time, there was silence, as Demeter stared out at the scenery. Hermes tried not to show that the cold was getting to him, but the layer of frost on his feathers was certainly getting hard to ignore.  
“S- So what can I do for you, hm?” he asked in his usual chipper voice. Demeter remained silent, and the cold was becoming near unbearable, but Hermes still stayed smiling.  
“…You’ll take care of her, won’t you?” she finally asked “Palaestra. You’re lucky to have her”  
Ah. That’s what this was about.  
“O- Of course Lady Demeter. I w- would never let any harm come to her” he said, shifting from a smile to a more serious tone. Demeter let out a single, joyless laugh.  
“I said the same thing about Kore and look how that ended” her voice was sharp and bitter, and her grip on the balcony railing tightened “You can’t trust her to be safe when she’s still living amongst the mortals. She’d be far safer here” Demeter looked at Hermes out of the corner of her eye. Hermes felt the ice climbing up his legs.  
“Well, I- I understand that- a- and even agree with you to an extent! But…” Hermes looked over the balcony “I can’t bring myself to tear her away from the home she knows and cares about. It would hurt her more than any mortal could, to take away everything she loves like that”  
Demeter sighed. Her shoulders slumped, and her general demeanor softened. Her eyes saddened.  
“I… understand. She deserves to live her life free and happy. It was clear to see how much the idea of leaving it all behind upset her” Demeter turned away from the balcony and looked at Hermes “Keep her safe, Hermes. I hope, for your sake, that you can have what I couldn’t” she turned back to the balcony “You may go. Best you don’t keep her waiting any longer” she waved a hand dismissing Hermes. Hermes bowed his head to her and walked out the doorway. Once he was around the corner, he was off like the wind, flapping the frost off his wings, and getting the blood pumping to warm himself back up.  
If Demeter ever learned the truth about Palaestra she’d never forgive him for lying about something like this. She’d turn him into an icicle and put him up as decoration on the mantlepiece.  
He rounded the corner and headed out the gates to find Palaestra. She was asleep, curled up on the ground with the blanket wrapped around her With every breath out, a small puff of smoke floated out from her lips. He couldn’t help but smile. He pulled her up into his arms and headed down the mountain and back to the Underworld.  
Demeter was right. He really was lucky to have had her, and Charon, come into his life._ _


	11. Intermission............................2!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another intermission with some haha funnee discord chats, AND the long promised ref of Palaestra (and some scribbles done by my friend Zak (you can find him on tumblr @zalazzle (and you can find me @les8ean)))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this got extremely extremely long sorry in advance but i hope you enjoy

  
not entirely accurate, she's prob like... 5'7" by the time she's 14

  
art by my wonderful friend Zak (@zalazzle) Zak ily and tysm for the beautiful art of the girl

  
"other siblings" meaning Hermes' other kids

  
Galixera is another friends Hades OC


	12. Maybe Someday She'll Fine Someone Curious and Kind to Wander With Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palaestra wanders the surface on occasion, taking in the sights that are all so alien to her, so foreign to the still of the Underworld.  
> But she finds something- someone- that makes her heart pound

Palaestra enjoyed the surface. She enjoyed walking in the snow and grass, running her hands along tree trunks, watching the animals. She enjoyed listening to the waves and burying her feet in the sand, looking over her great-uncle’s realm. She enjoyed collecting little pieces of the surface to take back to her room. Seashells, leaves, branches, rocks, coins, or other trinkets dropped by mortals. She was her fathers’ daughter after all, collecting anything she saw of interest and taking it home with her. Her own room was slowly coming to mirror Charon’s room in Erebus, or Hermes’ room on Olympus. Both overflowing with _things_. Artemis had compared her brother to a magpie on more than one occasion.  
She’d still never actually interacted with a living mortal. She wanted to, really. Hermes had taught her how to hide her more godly features; her wings and laurels and her blackened eye, so that she could walk freely among mortals. But she was nervous. There were so many of them! And they were all so… solid. She was used to the incorporeal forms of the shades in the Underworld.  
Still, even if she hadn’t actually interacted with any mortals yet, she enjoyed exploring the fringes of their little societies. She was happy to just watch from a distance now.

It was early in the morning, the sun just finishing it’s rise over the horizon. Palaestra had snuck out early to watch it. It was such a foreign and alien thing to her, the movements of the celestial bodies. In the underworld there was no sky, just the cavernous rooves of each level of the depths. The endless depths of Tartarus, the flooded meadows of Asphodel, The peaceful fields of Elysium, and the echoing chambers of Erebus.   
As a child, Palaestra had loved watching the mock stars in her grandmother’s hair, those tiny lights in the dark that twinkled so mischievously. Nyx had called her ‘Little Sun and Moon’, a comment on her mismatched eyes, the light and the dark. Palaestra hadn’t understood what it meant back then, having no experience with either of them. But now, with the ability to come and go to the surface as she pleased, she found herself infatuated by them.  
But still, no matter how much she loved the surface, she knew she would always return to the Underworld. It was her home. She could never live anywhere else. She loved it there.   
It was a love she knew her Olympian relatives would never understand, if they ever came to know of her true parentage (which, she hoped, they never would). Artemis certainly didn’t. Whenever she came to visit, she always looked so uncomfortable and on edge, eager to leave and get back to the surface, or to Olympus.

It was sad, really, how much trouble most of the Olympians had accepting the Cthonic deities and their realm. Palaestra had (subtly) asked them their opinions of them at times. Dionysus seemed particularly put off when she brought up Charon, quickly changing the subject. In fact, most, if not all of the Olympians, held some form of distaste for Charon. It made Palaestra’s stomach turn, and she always had to force a smile when they spoke of him. The restraint not to say something in his defense had brought her to break more than a few things, gripping too tightly and forgetting her strength.   
She’d snapped an entire table in half with just one hand at one point, when Aphrodite and Demeter had spoken of “the foul detritus of that disturbing boatman”  
That had been fun to try and explain away.

Palaestra had been walking for some time now. She wasn’t entirely sure where she was, too lost in her thoughts to pay attention.   
No need for concern though. Being the child of the God of roads and travelers, who travelled all over Greece on a daily basis, and the Ferryman of the Dead, who could navigate the rivers of the Underworld with ease, had given Palaestra the uncanny ability to easily navigate wherever she went. Even in the ever-changing, labyrinthine tunnels of the Underworld, she was never truly lost.  
Of course, when she was younger it wasn’t quite as fine-tuned. She’d gotten separated from Charon on more than one occasion when she was a child, and it had always ended in tears. But as she’d gotten older she’d found herself travelling the Underworld with less and less difficulty.  
It was a skill she preferred to keep private, especially from Lord Hades. If he were to know that someone other than Charon was capable of travelling the Underworld unhindered, he surely wouldn’t be pleased.

Palaestra wandered into a grove, looking at the bare tree branches above her. She wondered if one day she’d get to see what they looked like in bloom. But even bare there was a beauty to them, the way their branches, so thin and delicate, reached ever upwards towards the skies.   
The snow was light today, falling gently to the ground and making everything white. It looked so soft, and beautiful. Palaestra always thought it looked like it should be warm to the touch, something you could comfortably curl up and fall asleep in. But she’d learned the hard way-  
-THWAK-  
Palaestra stumbled as something hard hit her in the head, falling on her face. She pushed herself onto her knees and rubbed her head. She looked around, but she couldn’t see anyone who could’ve hit her. All she could see was an… apple? She picked it up. It was rather large, and a beautiful red. It looked delicious, frankly, which was… odd. She didn’t think anything could grow in this weather. Uncle Dion’ was always complaining about how he couldn’t get any good wine because no grapes would grow-  
-FW-fmph-  
Palaestra was pulled from her thoughts as another apple hit the snow.  
“Damn, missed!”  
Palaestra spun in circles, looking for the voice. There was a laugh, that rang out through the woods like a bell.  
“Hey! Up here human!”  
Palaestra looked up.  
Sitting in a nearby tree was a girl. She had dark skin, and long pointed ears. Her hair was fluffy and white like sheep’s wool, cut into a messy short bob with rams’ horns spiraling out of it. Her eyes were as green as the lights of Tartarus, and she was staring at Palaestra in the same way that Artemis stared at her prey when she was hunting. In her hand was another apple that she was casually tossing in the air. She stood up and put her hands on her hips.  
“Listen up human! This grove is protected by the Epimeliads! So, either you leave of your own accord, or-“ she put her hand against the tree and furrowed her brow in concentration. After a moment, buds and flowers began blooming along the branches, and apples grew “-or there’s more where THAT came from!” she grinned.  
Palaestra stared up at her. Surely, she should be at least somewhat intimidated in a situation like this, being threatened by an unknown adversary. But right now, only one thought was going through her head.  
 _’She’s really pretty’_  
Palaestra’s face felt hot. She stammered a bit, trying to say something, but when she opened her mouth all that came out was a heart-shaped cloud of smoke. She clapped her hands over her mouth, face going even redder. The girl in the tree furrowed her brow and grimaced.   
“Oh. Uh. That… D- do humans… usually do that? That doesn’t look… healthy…” she looked a bit put off. Palaestra shook her head, panicking, and stumbled backwards. “Are you um… Are you oka-“ but before she could finish, Palaestra had fled, running back the way she came, back to the Underworld. 

Palaestra ran through the forest, her illusion quickly fading and her appearance returning to how it should be, her wings bristling from the experience. She didn’t stop for anything. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she wasn’t entirely sure that it was just from running.  
She reached the gates of the Underworld and shoved them open, not even stopping to pet Cerberus on her way past. The hellhound looked quite upset at being ignored. Palaestra ran down the corridor of Erebus and skidded around the corner into Charon’s shop.   
_”Aaaaaarrrgghhhhh…..”_ Charon greeted her as she came in, but Palaestra ignored him, diving headfirst onto the chaise at the back of the store. She grabbed a cushion and shoved her face into it. Charon floated over to chaise, concerned, and sat down next to his daughter. She always greeted him with a hug and would tell him about everything she’d seen on the surface. For her to just run by him was worrying. _”hrrrmmm……. Rrrrrrhhhhh…..?”_ he asked. Palaestra just shook her head and muttered something that Charon couldn’t make out from behind the pillow. He put a hand on her arm.  
From under the pillow, Palaestra let out another flood of smoke. Charon watched it billow out, a cloud of tiny hearts, and float up to the ceiling. A smile crossed his face as realization set in. He let out a low rumbling laugh. Palaestra pulled the cushion off her face, still flushed, and looked at him.  
“Wh- What are you laughing at?!” she snapped, but Charon just laughed more, pulling her into a hug.  
 _”Hrrrrrrrrmmmmmm…..?”_ he asked, smiling deviously. Palaestra looked mortified, shoving him away and throwing the pillow at him.  
“N- No! shut up, i- it’s nothing like that!” she tried to argue, but still more heart shaped clouds left her mouth and her face had somehow gone even redder, and Charon just laughed harder. He composed himself, and put a hand on her shoulder.  
 _“aaaaahhhhhrrrr…….. hhhnnnnnnn……”_ he attempted to comfort her, but she just glared at him, face scrunched up indignantly _”aaaaaarrrgghhhh…….?”_  
“uuurrggh!” Palaestra let out a frustrated groan and pressed her face against Charon’s shoulder, and he put an arm around her. “I- I don’t know! I was just walking through this forest a- and then” she shrugged, trying to disappear into herself “Th- this, I- I think she was a nymph? She said something about Epimeliads- A- and she was…” Palaestra puffed out another cloud of smoke “she was… r- really pretty…” she mumbled “sh- she threw apples at me”  
 _”…….ggrrraahhhh….?”_ Charon let out a questioning rumble.  
“I- I don’t think she was trying to hurt me? Just… scare me off, I guess. Didn’t want anyone disturbing the nature probably”

The two sat in silence for a while, the only sound Charon’s raspy breathing, and the flow of the Styx. The occasional bump of the skiff against the dock. It was peaceful. Still. Truly unlike anything in the world above them.  
But that was interrupted by the sound of the gates of the Underworld opening, and a familiar voice. Charon kissed Palaestra on the forehead and got up to do his job, oar coming to him with a wave of his hand.  
On the corridor, Hermes was leading the latest procession of shades, chatting away with them as he did, lazing in the air with his scarf trailing along behind him.  
Palaestra curled in on herself on the chaise. No doubt Hermes would tease her for this even more mercilessly than Charon had.

“Hello associate!” Hermes floated in the air around Charon, as the ferryman collected his pay from the shades, each taking their seat on the boat. Charon rumbled out a reply, and Hermes grinned. As Charon collected the coins, Hermes rambled away, telling him all the latest gossip from Olympus.   
_”Mmmmhhhh…….”_ Charon interrupted him, and Hermes shut his mouth. It was rare for Charon to interrupt him, so when he did, Hermes was always certain to listen. Charon beckoned him closer, and Hermes rested his elbow on Charon’s shoulder. The ferryman cupped a hand to the gods ear and whispered something to him, his smoke tickling at Hermes’ ear and neck. As he spoke, Hermes eyes widened, and a grin spread over his face. Charon finally pulled away, and Hermes looked at him, overjoyed.  
“no!” Charon nodded “she’s-?” he nodded again. Hermes laughed, and Charon couldn’t help but crack a smile himself “Where is she, I need to speak with her immediately!” Charon nodded his head towards his little corner of Erebus. Hermes giggled mischievously. He leaned in and gave Charon a quick kiss on the cheek, then sped off.

“Paaaaallllyyyyyy!~” Hermes sang out as he approached. Palaestra groaned and tried to disappear into the chaise. Hermes rounded the corner and landed smoothly on the chaise next to her. He folded his hands beneath his chin and gave an impish smile “Charon told me something rather interesting young lady” he pulled her into a hug that she half-heartedly tried to wriggle her way out of “About you, and a nymph you met on the surface” Palaestra let out a groan, and Hermes’ grin only grew wider.  
“W- Whatever he said, he’s lying” she grumbled  
“You and I both know your father never lies” Hermes purred, and Palaestra hid her head in her hands. Hermes laughed, and pulled them away. “Pally, whatever your feeling, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about!” he assured her “If anything, be excited! Love is a wonderful thing!” When he said the word, her face turned red again.  
“I- I’m- I don’t-“ she stammered, trying to find words “It’s not- I don’t- She’s just-“ but she failed. Hermes waited patiently for her to think. “I- I don’t… l- lo- I don’t feel _that way_ about her” she denied, brow furrowed, eyes almost fearful as she confronted the assortment of emotions in her chest “I- I don’t… think I do…”   
Did she love her? Was it possible to love someone you’d only just met? Certainly, she felt some level of attraction to her, that much was obvious from the way her heart pounded, the butterflies in her stomach, the red in her cheeks. But was that love?   
She’d seen love before, in the way Charon and Hermes were together, in everything Aphrodite did, in the way Dionysus looked upon his mortal followers, in how Artemis spoke of her nymph friends, in Dusa’s own crush on Zagreus. But she’d never felt what she would consider to be love. Not in that way. She loved her family, and her friends, but that was a different kind of love, wasn’t it?   
She’d never felt a romantic love. Was that failure to connect just another way of protecting herself? Or maybe until now she just hadn’t been ready for it. Maybe she’d just never met anyone that was right for her. Not that she’d met many people in her life, other than family or the dead.   
Maybe this was love? If it was it felt… odd. So far from anything that came with being a god. 

“Pally? Palaestra?” Hermes waved a hand in front of Palaestra’s face, and she snapped back to attention. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been lost in her thoughts, but it had obviously been long enough to make her father worry.  
“oh, s- sorry” she mumbled an apology, all the thoughts in her head threatening to spill out of her ears if she didn’t get them under control.   
“You looked a bit lost in the clouds there” Hermes offered a sympathetic smile “Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out! Even if you think that it isn’t possible, well” he looked over at Charon, taking coin from the last few shades, and his smiled changed to one of love and adoration “Sometimes things will surprise you. You’ve just got to take that step and see where it leads you”

\----------

“You came back”   
The nymph was sitting in the same tree she’d been in last time. Palaestra stood at the bottom of it, trying to keep a straight face and not to blush.   
Gosh, she was really pretty.   
The nymph jumped down from the tree and walked a circle around Palaestra, looking her up and down. Palaestra stood tall and tense, afraid to move. Finally, the nymph stopped and stood in front of her. She was a few inches shorter than Palaestra, and skinny, but that didn’t stop her from trying to be intimidating. The horns certainly helped in that department.  
“Why did you come back?” She cocked her head to the side and gave Palaestra a curious, but untrusting, look. “Humans never come back” Palaestra swallowed the smoke in her throat  
“I- uh, I- I wanted to apologize, f- for the other day. I- I didn’t know this was, uh, y- your grove” she stammered out an apology “I- I brought this for you, as a- a gift- or a p- peace offering” Palaestra held out a small cloth bag, the mouth of which was tied shut with a ribbon. The nymph gave the bag a suspicious look, then snatched it out of Palaestra’s hands “I- I know it’s n- not much, but I hope you- uh- l- like it” she rubbed the back of her neck nervously. Why did she always have to be so awkward?!  
The girl opened the bag and dug through it. It was full of pomegranates that Palaestra had picked from the trees around the House. She pulled one out and sniffed it, then narrowed her eyes at Palaestra.  
“What’s the catch?” she asked.  
“C- Catch?”  
“Yeah” she put her hands on her hips and glared at her “There’s always a catch with humans. Something you want. Some motive”  
“Oh! Uh- I- I don’t have any m- motive! Other than, um, m- making amends? A- and maybe a new friend?” Palaestra put a hand out, and the girl jumped back a bit “I- I’m Palaestra” she offered an awkward smile. The girl looked at the hand, then at Palaestra. She cautiously took her hand and shook it.  
“…Menadora. My name is Menadora”

\----------

“So… where are the other Epi- Epic-“  
“Epimeliads”  
“R- Right. You said this grove was protected by them”  
Menadora’s ear flicked, and she frowned. The two of them were resting under one of the larger trees in the grove, leaning back against its trunk. Palaestra had been helping her with moving some fallen branches from a recent storm. It had become a common occurrence, Palaestra visiting the grove, and Menadora had opened up more over time.  
“That was… kiiiinda a lie” she shrugged “S’just me here. I protect this whole grove all on my own, but… with the whole endless winter, there’s not much to protect. Nothin’s grown here in a long time”   
“Oh…” Palaestra looked out over the grove. It wasn’t large, by any means, but it was decently sized. The trees all looked well cared for, even if barren, and there were small patches of winter flowers dotted around the area. “Did something happen to them? Th- The other Epimeliads?” she asked. Menadora shook her head.  
“Nah, I’ve always been alone here. Once an Epimeliad turns 15, we leave our family and find our own groves or herds to protect and make our homes. I’ve been here for a few months now” She explained.   
“Oh, so you’re the same age as me?” Palaestra smiled at her. “A- and you take care of this whole place on your own?” Menadora nodded.  
“Yep. I keep the trees healthy, keep humans away, make sure the local wildlife is alright, that kinda stuff”  
“Wow, that’s so cool! It must be a lot, huh, a- all that responsibility?”  
“I guess. But there’s not really much else to do, y’know? I guess when it’s not winter it’s probably more interesting but…” Menadora trailed off and looked up at the grey skies sadly “I’ve only ever known the winter…”  
Palaestra looked up at the sky as well. She knew about the everlasting winter. Lady Demeter’s punishment for whatever had happened to Kore. It had been going on since before she was born.   
“You ever wonder what the other seasons are like?” she turned to Menadora “I’ve read in books about the other seasons. How hot summer is, and how everything blooms in spring. How the leaves turn orange in autumn”   
Menadora was quiet for a while, staring at the sky. Sitting up close like this, Palaestra could see the tiny freckles that dotted her cheeks, and dimples that were deepened when she smiles. The grooves in her horns, and the flecks of darker green in her eyes. The barely-there pink tinge to her hair, and the tiny flowers braided into it.  
She turned away before Menadora noticed her staring, or the reddening on her cheeks.  
“Sometimes” she finally replied, looking over to Palaestra “But… I doubt I’ll see them in my lifetime. My mother told me this was some punishment from the goddess Demeter, but no one seemed certain why she was doing it. Something about her daughter?” Palaestra nodded but didn’t say anything further on the subject. Showing too much knowledge about something like this could prove a bad idea “and if it’s already been going on this long, it probably won’t be ending any time soon”  
“Maybe. But… it’s nice to think about, isn’t it?”   
Menadora looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. She rested her hand a bit closer to Palaestra’s, their fingers just barely brushing together. Palaestra felt her heart skip a beat.  
“Yeah, it is”

\----------

The two girls had become quite close over time. It was awkward at first, with Menadora’s distrust of humans, and Palaestra trying so hard to carry the weight of her little crush on her. But as they spent more time together and got to know each other, they became good friends. Menadora had been alone for quite some time, so she enjoyed the company, having someone to talk to. Palaestra would bring pomegranates, and poetry books, and whatever other trinkets she could find. She had to be careful what she brought though. She couldn’t bring things like obol or nectar. She still hadn’t told Menadora the truth, that she wasn’t a human at all. She didn’t want to scare her. From what the other gods had told her, mortals could get quite nervous around deities.

“Hey, Pal!” Menadora’s voice snapped Palaestra out of her thoughts, and she turned around the find the nymph sitting in a small circle of winter flowers “I wanna show you something, I’ve been practicing.” Menadora put her hands against the ground and ran her fingers through the grass. She closed her eyes, brow furrowed in concentration. From around her hands, flowers grew and wound their stalks together. Palaestra didn’t know their names, but they were beautiful, purple and white and blue. After a few moments, the flowers had wound around each other into a wreath. Menadora plucked them from the ground and held it up, a proud smile on her face. Then, she stood up and came over to Palaestra, standing up on her tip toes to place it on her head. For a moment, her fingers ran through Palaestra’s hair, and she shivered at the touch, her heart in her throat.  
“There! A flower crown! We used to make them all the time back home” Menadora stepped back to look at her handiwork. Palestra must have looked off, because her smile faded for a moment “do you... like it?” she asked, fidgeting a bit with her dress. Palaestra jumped at the question.  
“Ah, y- yeah! I love it, i- it’s really pretty” she quickly went to assure the nymph “It just- uh- t- took me by surprise. I- I’ve never seen flowers like these”   
Menadora grinned and laughed, and to Palaestra it was the sweetest sound she’d ever heard, sweeter than any ambrosia.

There was hardly any denying it anymore

She was in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been planning this for so so SO LONG!!!! Baby's first gay crush!!!!   
> I hid in a few lyrical references to the album 'Burn Pygmalion! A Better Guide To Romance', so see if you can pick them out, hehe
> 
> I've also been working on a playlist for Palaestra, and a reference sheet for Menadora, so look forward to those~


End file.
